Three Vampires and a Baby
by Kristylized
Summary: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the tricky landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. Strong AU.
1. Chapter One

_**Title:**__ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

_**Pairings:**__ Canon_

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**POV:**__ Edward_

_**AN:**__ I swear this isn't a crackfic, despite the title. I just thought it was funny. It won't be much like any similarly named movies… except for the fact there's gonna be three dudes and a baby. Expect a short and silly vamp AU. I'm thinking around ten chapters give or take. Probably give, knowing my penchant for going on and on._

xx

It was a dreary Monday when it happened.

Wasn't that how all stories about someone's life being thrown into turmoil began? If that was the case, I defied convention because it wasn't dreary at all the day my life was turned upside down. The sun was shining brightly and the birds were chirping like life was good. The weather was the nicest it had been in Seattle since spring decided to show its face.

Emmett and I were on our way back from hunting. There wasn't much else for a pair of vampires to do when the weather was nice. We couldn't go into the city with the sun high in the sky. Contrary to myths popularized by humans, sunshine isn't detrimental to us. It does, however, have the unfortunate side effect of making us conspicuous. Sparkling just isn't a common look unless you're in to drag queen circuit. Those who rule our world don't take too kindly to those of us who stand out in a crowd.

I've made my peace with everything that comes with being a vampire, but let it be known it's my brother's fault we're here. Emmett is my brother and I love him, but he's done some questionable things. One of which led straight down the path to immortality.

In 1930, at the height of prohibition, Emmett went out drinking with some of his buddies. He and his friends used to hang out behind the old town farmhouse and get smashed on nasty home brewed stuff they made. I supposed he had earned the right to let loose a little. He'd had huge amounts of responsibility heaped on his shoulders at an age even younger than I was at the time.

Our parents had been killed in an accident when he was fifteen. In the space of hours he went from not having a responsibility in the world, to the head of a household and the only parent to his frightened twelve-year-old brother.

We made it through five years with only one another to lean on. Emmett took control of our parents' estate and we got by well enough. Our father had been our town's only lawyer and he had left behind a generous insurance policy. It was enough that we could live comfortably until we'd both completed school and were able to stand on our own feet. I was finishing my last year of high school and Emmett was following in our father's footsteps, studying to be a lawyer. I wanted to be a doctor eventually.

Emmett was worried our inheritance wouldn't stretch far enough to put me through medical school but, as always, he made it work. He cut back on nonessentials, sacrificing so he could make me happy. To most people Emmett seemed selfish and boisterous but I knew better. He put my happiness first, always. There was no one I trusted more than my older brother.

Less than a month after I turned seventeen, Emmett told me he was going out drinking with his friends. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, so I shrugged him off and buried my nose in my textbook. Sometimes he would ask me to join him, but he was aware I had a test the next day, so I knew that was off the table. Emmett was adamant that I do well in school.

I lived for the times my brother let me join him and his older, more experienced friends. My high school friends seemed like such children next to them. I understood, though, why he insisted I put school first. Education meant security; something we both desperately craved having come from a broken household.

I told him to have fun and that I'd see him in the morning.

I didn't see him the next morning.

If there was anything to know about my brother when he was drunk, it was that he became noisier and even more rowdy than usual. It wasn't uncommon for him to end up saying things he probably shouldn't have. That night, whatever nonsense he spouted alienated his friends. (Something crude about one of their girls, I'm betting, though he'll never admit it.) Whatever it was, it was offensive enough for them to ditch him out in the fields.

Drunk and abandoned, he stumbled into the woods and, to make a long story short, he was mauled by a bear. Sounds glamorous, doesn't it? He refuses to go into detail about what happened, but the pictures paint themselves.

He was found, hanging on to life by a thread, by a vampire named Carlisle. Compassionate to the core and unable to leave anyone to die, even my reckless brother, Carlisle took him under his wing, making Emmett like him.

The next morning, I was awakened by the town sheriff, who explained that my brother was missing. A large quantity of blood presumed to be his had been discovered by one of his friends in the early hours of the morning. He was assumed dead after an animal attack, though no one could be sure without his body.

At first I refused to believe he was gone, though deep down I knew he wouldn't abandon me. When he didn't return home for the rest of the week, reality hit home like a stone. I cried and raged for days. I had lost the final constant in my life. My parents had been dead for years. I had no other family. Emmett had been all that I had left. And suddenly he was gone too. I went on with my life with all the passion of a zombie.

Looking back, I was more relieved than upset when he strode back into my life two months later. As much as I wanted to tear into him for abandoning me, the relief was greater. I didn't care that he looked odd or that his eyes were a startling red. He was still Emmett.

The pained grimace he wore when his eyes landed on me hurt, but I could look past that. He'd come back and that was what mattered. I had every intention of insisting he take me with him this time. One minute I was appraising his strange new appearance and pondering how to phrase my demand without sounding childish, the next there was nothing but agonizing pain and consuming black fire.

I didn't know what had transpired until three days later. I awoke in my parents' basement with my brother hovering over me, telling me how sorry he was and that he knew I was thirsty but there was someone I had to meet first.

My throat burned like it had been rubbed raw with sandpaper. I wanted to ask what had happened to me but I couldn't push the words past the pain.

Emmett explained that he had hid me until my transformation was over because Carlisle wouldn't approve of what he had done. I didn't know who or what he was talking about, but I could hardly focus beyond the pain and barrage of voices shouting at me from every angle. Emmett showed me that my eyes were red now, too, explaining he had made me into a vampire, like him.

Carlisle was livid. I remember his anger very clearly. It was the first and only time I ever heard him raise his voice.

He berated Emmett for taking a life that wasn't necessary. He yelled that I could have died and, given Emmett's newborn state, it was a miracle I hadn't. He was furious Emmett would risk my life for his own selfish desire to keep his family. But more than anything, Carlisle was pissed that Emmett had taken away my choice in the matter.

Though those first few weeks of learning to overcome my thirst and handle the constant barrage of thoughts were some of the worst of my life, I have to admit that I wouldn't change a thing. I'd rather be a vampire with Emmett than alone as a human. It took years for me to come to terms with everything, but it was a breakthrough in forgiving Emmett. Deep down, I knew my brother had only done what he had because he couldn't abandon me.

As for that sunny spring day that turned my life upside down?

It had nothing to do with becoming a vampire. After decades as a vampire, I had come to accept my transformation as a natural progression in my life, akin to hitting puberty. It was a change, but one that was a necessary part of my identity.

The thing it took to upend my life was actually something much smaller.

It was a white bassinet.

"What the fuck is that?" Emmett asked, nudging the crib on our doorstep with his toe as if the innocent piece of furniture might contain a bomb.

I peered into it, more than a little curious why a bassinet was on our doorstep.

"Well, Emmett, it looks like a baby," I pointed out sarcastically, after closer inspection revealed there was indeed a baby bundled inside.

I was pointing out the obvious but with my brother sometimes obvious was the way to go. I was glad I could see into his mind. I wasn't sure I'd be able to make sense of him otherwise. I hardly remembered how I had lived with him for the seventeen years prior.

He shot me a look, his tone dripping sarcasm. "Thanks for the clarification, Edward. What the fuck is a baby doing on our doorstep?"

I plucked a crisp envelope bearing the name _Cullen_ in neat writing from atop the sleeping baby.

That could be any one of the three of us, though technically Carlisle was the only one who had been born a Cullen. Emmett and I had adopted the name later out of loyalty to him.

I mirrored his tone. "Maybe this will tell us?"

I slit it open with a fingernail, scanning the loopy writing.

"Her mother is giving Carlisle custody of her," I explained with a frown. "It says she's unable to care for her and knew he would have the resources to do what's best for her. Carlisle was one of the doctors that delivered her."

I flipped through the paperwork remaining in the envelope. There were a handful of identifying documents like a birth certificate and some official-looking forms signing over legal custody. I bypassed the identification, skimming the legal forms.

I didn't know much about the legal system, but I was pretty sure that the person receiving custody had to be made aware of the fact they were the child's legal guardian to make it lawful. There was no way Carlisle would have agreed to raise a human child. The danger to her, being around the three of us, would be astronomical.

"Give me that," Emmett insisted, wanting to see the proof with his own eyes.

I handed over the envelope. My brother might look like a jock, but he held two law degrees, one of them from Stanford. If anyone could make sense of these papers, it would be him.

His mind revealed he thought this was a cruel joke I was playing on him and was amazed that I'd made the documentation look so real. I scoffed. That was what surprised him? Where did he think I got the baby? It wasn't like there were tons of parents out there willing to loan out their kids to vampires for the sake of a practical joke.

His lips flattened into a line as he examined the letter. Something in it must have convinced him it was real because he glanced at the sleeping baby warily. Her pink shirt rose and fell steadily as she slumbered.

"What's she thinking? I mean, is she scared? Her mom ditching her here and all?"

I peered into her little head, seeing nothing but the swirling colours of a mind at rest. She seemed perfectly content, innocent happiness a hazy emotional backdrop to her dreams.

I shrugged. "She's dreaming. I don't think she's realized her mother has abandoned her yet. She was probably asleep when she was left here."

"Well, fuck. What are we supposed to do now? What kind of shit mother abandons their kid on the doorstep of strangers, anyway?" He paused, glancing at the little sleeping face. "Damn, she's cute, though."

I shrugged; I was just as lost. "Letting Carlisle know is probably a good first step. It's his name that's on all the documents. He can probably trace the mother in his records and return her home. It's not like we can keep her here."

My watch indicated Carlisle would be home from his shift at the hospital in fifteen minutes. I hoped she stayed asleep until then. It was pretty apparent neither of us was equipped to deal with a baby.

A sly grin split Emmett's face as he peered at the sleeping baby.

"You don't think she's his, do you? I mean, does anyone know if vampires can procreate with humans? Has anyone tried?"

I rolled my eyes. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. And trust me when I say you've said some incredibly ridiculous things."

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but search the tiny sleeping face for a resemblance.

"She looks nothing like him, anyway," I added, feeling stupid for having checked at all.

Emmett appraised the baby with a critical eye. "I suppose not. No one that blond has a baby with hair that dark. He'd tell us if he scored with a human, right?"

"The fact you're considering this is crazy."

Emmett grinned. "You never know. It's always the quiet ones who do the craziest shit. And if anyone could stand to be that close to a human, it'd be Carlisle."

The baby chose that moment to open her eyes.

Emmett, who'd been bent over the bassinet examining the baby for traces of Carlisle's features, jumped back as if he'd been electrocuted.

"Shit! She's awake!"

"Shh," I snapped, feeling the need to shield the little girl from my rowdy brother. His volume was about half a dozen decibels louder than necessary. "You're gonna make her cry."

Her eyes, huge on her tiny face, seemed to evaluate us. I could hardly blame her for being curious. Our skin was throwing dappled light in the afternoon sun. It had to be unlike anything she'd ever seen in her short life. I stood up straighter, inexplicably wanting to make a good impression.

"She looks fine," Emmett grumbled. "Look, she's kinda smiling. _I'm_ the one who you have to worry about crying."

"Not possible," I countered. Our physical makeup made crying impossible.

Emmett sniffed. "Technicalities."

The little girl stared, her eyes intent on the two of us as we bickered. She wondered where her mommy was and why Emmett and I were here instead. Thank goodness she didn't cry. In fact, I got the distinct impression she liked us.

Maybe Emmett was right. If awakening to his face looming over her hadn't scared her, nothing would. We would be fine until Carlisle got here. I hoped.

Whatever higher power existed out there must have been punishing me for my optimism, because she chose that moment to decide she was tired of sitting around. She stretched her little arms up to us, glancing between my brother and me with hopeful eyes.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant: she wanted one of us to pick her up.

Emmett and I exchanged horrified glances, hoping the other would know how to diffuse the situation. Holding a human baby screamed trouble.

The little girl whimpered and shook her arms, impatient for us to take action.

I sighed, sparing another glance at my brother's reticent form. His thoughts confirmed he had no intention of doing anything. She would be screaming bloody murder before he took initiative.

With a sigh, I gingerly lifted the little girl out of the bassinet, clutching her to my chest. Her arms and feet flailed, but at least she seemed a little happier being held. I gripped her around her midsection, terrified I would drop her if she kept squirming so much. I'd be damned if I would be responsible for injuring a baby.

At least she didn't smell edible, even this close up. The smaller they were, the less appetizing they seemed to be.

"Damn. Look at you, holding a baby," Emmett pretended to wipe away a tear. He was suddenly in a much more playful mood now that he was off the hook. "So precious."

I shot him a lethal stare. "Shut up."

Emmett snorted, repressing a chuckle. "Chill out. You're doing good. You might want to hold under her butt, though."

"If you know so much about taking care of kids, you do it," I snapped.

He held up his hands. "I'm just saying. I don't know shit about kids. Just, you always see moms hold them like this," he gestured, pretending to be a mother with a child propped on her hip.

I cautiously adjusted according to his instructions. He was right, it was a lot easier to support her this way. I didn't feel like she was going to squirm right onto the floor. She giggled, placing a hand on the side of my face.

"Aww, how cute. She doesn't seem to mind that you're cold." Emmett chuckled.

I glared at him, annoyed that he was taking so much enjoyment in my discomfort.

I bounced her tentatively, praying I wasn't hurting her, or worse, making her queasy. She squealed with happiness before promptly getting distracted with a handful of my hair.

She tugged with a lot more force than I would have expected from someone so small. I tried to disentangle her little fingers but she had the grip of a titan. Worried I might injure her, I gave up. She was so tiny, I didn't imagine it would take much to hurt her and I'd suffered through much worse.

Emmett smirked at my predicament, but wisely refrained commenting.

"Teddy!" she said, gleefully reaching for a second handful of hair.

"Did she call you Teddy?" Emmett asked, bewilderment brushing his features.

I shrugged. No one had ever called me Teddy in my life, so it seemed unlikely.

"She's probably missing her teddy bear." I nodded at the abandoned crib. "Is there one in there?"

Emmett dug through it but came up empty-handed. "Just some blankets."

In situations like this wasn't the mom supposed to leave behind a bag filled with provisions and the kid's favourite things? I supposed that was asking too much. Any mom who would leave their kid with strangers obviously didn't care enough to bother. I wondered if getting this little girl back to her parents was the smartest thing, after all.

"Emmy," the little girl said, stretching her tiny hand in Emmett's direction, a huge grin overtaking her face.

Emmett's eyes grew wide.

"Holy fuck. She called me Emmy. She was looking at me, I swear," he claimed, terror creeping into his tone. "She knows my name! How does she know my name?"

I shrugged, just as confused. I'd never been introduced to this kid. It wasn't like either of us spent much time around children. There was no reason why she should know Emmett's name, or mine, if that's what she was saying. Gibberish was the more likely option.

"It's probably nothing," I asserted. "It's just a coincidence she's babbling words that sound similar to our names."

She patted my cheek again, annoyed that Emmett and I were ignoring her. "Teddy," she repeated, reaching for my hair again. This time I had the foresight to stop her before she could grab ahold.

"She _is_ calling you Teddy!" Emmett insisted. "I knew it! What the hell is going on? How does she know us if we've never met her before?"

"Get the papers," I pointed at them, carefully balancing the baby so I wouldn't hurt her, or god forbid, drop her. "What's her name? Is there a chance we've met her after all?"

Emmett scrambled for the documents, nearly scattering them in his haste.

"Brandon," he stated. "What the fuck kind of name is that for a girl? I think I would have remembered meeting a girl named Brandon. Hell, we should remember meeting her, period. We remember everything. And I'm telling you, I've never seen this kid before."

I glanced over his shoulder at the papers. "Her name is Mary Alice. Brandon is her surname."

Emmett looked sheepish. "Oh, right. Still, Mary Alice? It _is_ the twenty-first century, right?"

He made a silly face at the baby, who giggled, enjoying that he was playing with her. "Sorry kid, but I don't know what your mommy and daddy were thinking naming you that."

The baby patted her own head. "Alice," she explained.

Emmett laughed, stooping so they were eye to eye. "Is that what you like to be called? Is your name Alice?"

She giggled, burying her face in my shoulder.

Emmett echoed her chuckle. "Oh, look at that, someone's shy. You're going to get on perfect with uncle Edward," he told her in what I supposed was his baby voice. Thank goodness she appeared not to mind because, if I were her, it would have creeped me the fuck out. "He's shy, too. Except we real men call it 'being a pussy.'"

I rolled my eyes. "Do you really think this is a conversation you should be having with a–" I peeked at her birth certificate, realizing I had no idea how old she was, "–22-month-old? You might want to dial back the language while you're at it. From what I hear, kids pick up that stuff fast. Her mom's gonna be pissed if we give her back and 'fuck' is the newest addition to her vocabulary."

Emmett snickered. "Relax, _Teddy_. Alice is a good girl. She would never rat out uncle Emmett."

"Emmy," Alice corrected, reaching a hand out to his face, her huge grey eyes luminous. Her motor skills weren't quite up to par. She nearly poked him in the eye.

"That's right," I muttered in agreement. "You put Emmy in his place."

Alice grinned a toothy little smile, her mind already wandering; she was growing bored with us and looking for another distraction.

She wanted her dolls. I hated to disappoint her, but we didn't have dolls for her to play with. Or anything else a little kid might consider fun. Unless a copy of The Brothers Grimm fairytales counted. I wasn't sure her parents would appreciate us reading her the gruesome precursors to Disney tales.

I froze upon realizing that wasn't the only thing going on in her little head. She was imagining playing in our living room. Our living room was represented perfectly down to the last carpet hair.

The furniture was positioned exactly as it had been for the last three years. The stain from the time Emmett had tracked mud onto the carpet near the French doors was there. Even my keys were hanging off the table in the way I'd left them earlier in the day. My UW keychain cast a rainbow on the ceiling. Just like it did in her head.

"How is it that, out of the two of us, I got the chick name?" Emmett wondered, annoyance crossing his features. "I mean, at least Teddy is a dude name, even if it does make it sound like you're five."

When I didn't comment, he glanced up at me, concern creasing his features. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"She knows our living room."

Emmett frowned, glancing at Alice, who had become enamored with the colourful stitching on the hem of her shirt. "She knows our living room? What does that mean?"

"It means, if I didn't know better, I'd think she'd been inside our house. She knows where everything is. Even where I left my keys," I stressed.

"But that's impossible," Emmett countered. "It's locked and the alarm is enabled. There's no way anyone got inside. We'd be able to smell if someone had been inside, anyway."

I shrugged. "I don't know. It doesn't make sense. How does she know our names? Even if she had met us, she shouldn't remember. No 22-month-old remembers inconsequential things like that."

"Teddy? Emmy?" Alice bopped my arm with her little fist to gain my attention. "Hunry."

Emmett and I exchanged glances, each hoping the other had deciphered what she wanted.

Emmett shrugged, looking at me expectantly. "Can't you just read her mind?"

"Hunry," Alice repeated, growing impatient with our inaction.

I tried to look beyond the phrase to see her underlying intention, but all came up with was her frustration that we didn't understand.

Emmett sighed and shook his head. "Forget it, let's just go inside. I'm tired of standing out here. We can figure out how to keep her alive until Carlisle gets home in there."


	2. Chapter Two

_**Title:**__ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

_**Pairings:**__ Canon_

_**Rating:**__ M_

_**POV:**__ Edward_

_**AN:**__ Thank you to everyone who's still with me and gave this fic a chance. I know it's a little different. I'm hoping it'll be different good :)_

xx

"Edward? Emmett?" Carlisle called, his footsteps echoing in the foyer as he shed his coat. His internal monologue halted when he registered the sound of a heartbeat and a human scent inside.

_Edward_, he addressed me silently, _are you and Emmett entertaining a guest?_

I glanced at Alice, who was sitting on the sofa, playing with the tassel on a throw pillow like it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. It was the only reason she had conceded when I'd set her down. It had also distracted her from the whole "hunry" thing, whatever that was. I kept a vigilant eye on her, worried that she might topple off the couch and through the glass coffee table next to it.

Emmett plopped down next to her. Alice giggled as his weight jostled her side of the couch, clapping her hands.

"Not exactly," I replied, unsure how to explain the strange situation we found ourselves in. Emmett remained quiet, used to my one-sided communication with our oldest brother. "Come see."

Carlisle was in the living room before I could blink, his gaze sewn to Alice. She squealed in recognition, reaching a hand out to him.

"CarCar!"

Carlisle gave her a huge, silly grin. I couldn't help but laugh, never having seen him so carefree with anyone aside from Emmett and myself. He was usually more reserved than even me, a relative miracle given he'd lived with Emmett for the better part of a century.

"Hello, sweetheart," he greeted her, tickling under her chin. "It's been a while since I've seen you, Miss Mary Alice. You've grown." She giggled at his attention.

Emmett smirked. "I see you're on a first name basis with our guest."

Carlisle's confusion was evident. "What is she doing here? Is Ms. Brandon here, too?"

Emmett, never one to mince words, was blunt. "_Ms. Brandon_ left her kid on our doorstep, Carlisle. You care to explain what's going on?"

Carlisle's blond eyebrows knitted together.

"She's one of my patients. It's not really my place, but I stand in as a family doctor for a few families who can't afford healthcare. The Brandons are one of them."

Emmett's lips quirked, he was expecting more than just a little background information. "And?"

"And?"

Emmett sighed and thrust the envelope full of paperwork at Carlisle.

"You've been named as Alice's legal guardian," I added, pausing to prop up the little girl who was curiously examining the floor beyond the edge of the couch and about half a second from toppling off of it. "There's a bunch of legal stuff that Emmett says is legit."

Carlisle skimmed through the documents, papers fluttering rapidly as he read all the pertinent information.

"I swear I had no idea she was planning this." He sounded a lot calmer than I felt. You'd think we were discussing the weather, not the fate of a human being. "Ms. Brandon was always a sweet woman… a single mother doing the best she could. She seemed to love Mary Alice very much."

"Alice," I corrected, unsure why I was making a point of doing so. "She likes to be called Alice."

"Do you know the father?" Emmett asked, though that was a front for his real question. He wanted to know was if Carlisle _was_ her father. His curiosity was so great it was like he was screaming the thought in my head.

"I've never met him."

"But do you know who he is?" Emmett pressed.

"No."

"But–"

I interrupted, knowing this could go on for a while if I didn't intervene. "Carlisle, what Emmett wants to know is if you've ever dated Alice's mother," I said pointedly.

Carlisle chucked. "You mean you're asking if I'm her father?"

Emmett looked sheepish. "When you say it like that it sounds dumb."

"I'm not," Carlisle confirmed. Emmett's face fell. "Sorry to disappoint you. I would have told you if I had a daughter, you know. I wouldn't keep a secret like that. You two are my family as much as if we were biologically related."

Emmett sulked. "Man. I was really looking forward to hearing your stories about how you seduced a human. I thought you were gonna tell us you hooked up with that hot nurse that we know you've been horning over."

"I told you that theory was ridiculous," I reminded my brother, ignoring his crude thoughts on our brother's relationship with his nurses. The very concept of Carlisle "horning" over anyone was absurd. He was the epitome of respectful.

"I wish I lived with the Denali sisters," Emmett muttered, insolent. "_They_ don't mind sharing. And they don't skimp on details either."

I rolled my eyes. "I think we have more pressing matters to deal with than your need to be entertained by familial sexcapades."

I gestured to Alice, who was now chewing on the pillow she'd been so enthralled with before, her huge eyes following us, as if she were actually paying attention to our conversation.

"Can't you find her hospital records and get an address?" Emmett asked Carlisle. "It's not like we can keep the little rugrat, even if she is effing cute."

I smirked at my brother's poor attempt at child-friendly language. I supposed it was better than nothing. She had yet to spout any curses and she'd been with us for almost half an hour.

Carlisle shook his head. "What I do for the Brandons isn't legal. I could get fired if it came to light, so I've never kept records. I've never needed them. I remember everything I need to know."

"Well what are we supposed to do, then?" Emmett's frustration was evident.

"We go to law enforcement. Even if these," Carlisle held up the sheaf of papers, "are legitimate, they're not legally binding without my consent; I haven't signed them. There's got to be something they can do to locate her family."

I glanced at Alice, worried about what that would mean for her. I might not have known her very long, but I wanted her to be safe. The thought of her being returned to parents who didn't want her, or tossed into the foster system was horrifying.

"What if they send her to foster care?" I pointed out. "Who says they'll expend the effort to find her mother? I mean, if she doesn't want to be a parent, are they really going to force her to be?"

Carlisle offered a reassuring smile. "We'll figure out what's best for her, I promise."

That didn't make me feel better. I had a sinking feeling something bad was about to happen. Alice grabbed a handful of my pant leg and gave me her toothy little smile. For some reason that made me feel better than Carlisle's words had.

Carlisle stood, collecting all the legal papers. "Okay, so, to the precinct? Emmett, you should probably come with me. You know more about family law than I do."

I froze, not liking where this was headed. "What about me?"

"You should stay and watch Alice. We shouldn't take her down to the station. It's no place for a child. She seems to like you and you were watching her just fine until I got here."

"But Emmett was with me!"

Carlisle chuckled. "If I know Emmett as well as I think I do, something tells me he was more of a hindrance than a help. You'll be fine."

"He's right, dude," my brother agreed, the traitor.

Okay, so Emmett had been useless. Still, leaving me alone to cope with a 22-month old after having acquired less than an hour of babysitting experience?

I opened my mouth to respond, but was caught off guard as a foul smell caught my nose. It took me a moment to recognize it was emanating from deceptively innocent little person sitting on our couch.

Emmett seemed to register what had happened a moment after I did. He stood hastily, happy to have an excuse to get out. "Well then, we best get going. Problems don't solve themselves, you know."

He hardly paused to grab his keys before dragging Carlisle out the door.

I sat in bewilderment for a moment, unable to believe my brothers had just left me alone with a baby who was clearly in need of a diaper change.

Sighing, I snatched Alice off the couch, cringing at the squishy feel of her diaper.

It wasn't her fault I had two assholes for brothers and it certainly wouldn't be fair to leave her in this state because I was upset with them.

The only problem was I didn't really know how to fix it. Her mother hadn't left any supplies and it wasn't like we kept much in the way of human hygiene products. Vampires had no use for paper towels or Kleenex, let alone diapers.

Then I remembered we had a single roll of toilet paper hanging in our downstairs bathroom to keep up the illusion we were human, in the rare instances we had guests. That single roll had lasted nearly three years. Maybe I could use what was left of it to fashion a makeshift diaper until we could buy a proper replacement.

I retrieved the roll and headed to the kitchen, depositing Alice on the countertop. Undressing her, I yanked off the disgusting diaper and tossed it into the garbage with a mental reminder to change the bag as soon as possible.

There was no way I was touching anything I wasn't supposed to, so I set her in the sink, running her under a stream of warm water. It didn't seem to help much, so I turned on the sprayer setting, which proved to be much more effective.

Alice giggled as the spray touched her skin – she thought it tickled – so at least she didn't seem to think I was doing a horrible job. I actually felt kind of proud I'd resolved the situation on my own.

Grabbing a wad of toilet paper, I patted her dry and wrapped the remainder of the roll around her in my best imitation of a diaper. I made a dash for Emmett's toolbox in the garage and, using a little duct tape, managed to get it to stay together.

Alice prodded it with one of her little fingers. She thought it looked different than usual but it felt really soft, so it was okay. I grinned, pleased that my solution was to her satisfaction.

"Not bad, huh?" I asked. "I mean, for a beginner."

"Teddy," she agreed.

Lifting her into my arms, I decided we could watch TV until my brothers got back. It wasn't like she could get into much trouble watching TV.

Emmett loved SpongeBob SquarePants, so we subscribed to Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon would be appropriate for a nearly 2-year-old, right? I mean, she wouldn't understand what they were saying, but it was a cartoon, and kids liked cartoons. I set Alice on Carlisle's favourite white loveseat, sitting next to her so I could keep an eye on her.

Alice wasted no time in ensuring the loveseat didn't remain white. It seemed toilet paper wasn't as absorbent as I'd hoped.

I plucked her up and headed back to the kitchen. Ripping off the soggy mess, I glanced around for anything I could use as a replacement. My eyes landed on a pair of sweaters Emmett had bought last week.

I didn't feel even a twinge of remorse as I tore off the price tag (after checking to make sure I'd chosen the more expensive one, of course).

I could have retrieved something old from my own closet but there was a price to pay for leaving me to deal with a baby all by myself and I'd just discovered what it was.

I tied the sweater around Alice, wrapping it several times before securing it with more duct tape. I might have gone a little overboard with the tape. Hopefully that would seal in any more disgusting surprises.

Alice didn't seem nearly as pleased with this solution as she had been with the toilet paper. Her little fingers curled around the massive bulge of fabric and tape, trying ineffectually to remove it.

Her eyes landed on me accusingly when she realized it was held firmly in place with massive amounts of duct tape.

"No! Teddy!"

"Sorry," I apologized, just short of pleading. "Maybe when Emmy and CarCar come back, they'll bring diapers. Try to hold it until then, okay?"

She sniffed, huge watery eyes imploring me to take pity on her and remove the monstrous thing. Guilt prickled, but it wasn't as if I had another choice.

"No!" she wailed. "No!"

Hoping to distract her, I set her on the couch (though she didn't balance quite right with the lumpy diaper) and handed her the pillow that had so fascinated her before, clicking on the TV. She tossed it aside, looking grumpy.

I heaved a sigh. "What do you want from me? I'm trying my best, here."

Life would have been a lot easier if babies could talk. I had thought I would get the gist of what she wanted from her thoughts, but her emotions were running rampant. She wasn't happy and her foul mood was clouding all else.

Maybe she was tired? Wasn't that why babies got cranky? Sure, she was wearing an uncomfortable diaper, but was that really cause for a tantrum?

"Naptime?" I suggested, unsure if she would know the word.

"Sweep?"

I grinned. She knew naptime meant sleeping.

"Yes. It's time to sleep."

I picked up the pillow she had thrown away and grabbed a blanket to cover her, tucking them around her small body.

"No!" She tossed them both on the ground. "No sweep!"

I sighed. So much for that. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to force her to do anything that she didn't want to do.

"Hunry!"

I groaned. We were back to that again. That damn word.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "I don't know what that means."

"Hunry! Hunry! Hunry!"

"Yes, hunry!" I snapped, feeling like an ass for getting angry with a baby. "Care to expand on that?"

"Hunry!"

Forcing myself to keep my temper in check, I delved into her mind for clues, but she was still in a foul mood and it took precedence. Well, that made two of us.

I tapped into every ounce of calm I possessed and repeated the word to myself several times, trying to determine what it could mean to a baby.

"Hungry!" I exclaimed, feeling like an idiot for not having cracked that complex code sooner. Was I really that out of touch with human needs? I liked to think I was pretty knowledgeable when it came to humans. I was quickly learning babies were a very different thing.

"Okay." I picked Alice up and headed for the pantry. "Food. I can do that."

Carlisle was meticulous about keeping up our human façade. I was sure we would have something non-perishable in the cupboards. Not the case. Every single one was empty. Even Old Mother Hubbard would have been ashamed of our cupboards.

"Hunry?" Alice repeated. This time I swore it sounded like there was a questioning note to her voice. Like she didn't understand how a pantry could have no food in it.

"Okay," I muttered to myself. "Food. We can go out and buy food."

A peek out the window revealed enough cloud cover had descended to make it possible to go out.

It would be easy enough to go to a drive through and get a sandwich. Could an almost two-year-old even eat a sandwich? I wasn't sure. It seemed like she had most of her teeth. So she could chew stuff… but what if she didn't like what I picked and refused to eat it? I didn't want her to starve because I was too unknowledgeable to pick the right things.

"Ever been to a grocery store?" I asked her.

She peered up at me blankly. "Teddy."

"I hope you have, because I haven't. I'm almost a century old and I've never been to a grocery store. Crazy, right? Don't tell anyone, but I don't eat the same things you do."

I strapped Alice into the backseat of my Volvo and slid into the driver's seat. I knew kids weren't supposed to sit in the front; the big red and yellow sticker on the passenger side said so. I was a better driver than anyone else on the road and my car had a top safety rating. I wasn't too concerned about her getting hurt.

Of course, I didn't anticipate that she would manage to squirm her way out of the seatbelt and end up on the floor of my car.

One moment my eyes were on the road and the next I was peeking in the rearview mirror and the baby in my charge was gone. I'd nearly slammed on the brakes until a giggle and her pattering heartbeat gave her away.

She'd found something shiny on the floor of the car – a hideous gold chain belonging to Emmett, a relic of his gangsta phase – and was attempting to stuff it in her mouth. Steering with a knee, I'd managed to contort myself to retrieve her from the back and plop her into the passenger seat. Maybe she would be safer there, after all.

Getting the chain away from her was another matter. I tried to pull it from her grip but her responding tug was firm. I was in no mood to hear her scream bloody murder, so I let her keep it as long as it didn't seem to be in danger of being ingested.

One hand on the wheel, the other holding Alice down, we managed to get to the nearest grocery store alive. Well, Alice did, anyway. Thank god it was only five minutes away and there were no cops on the road. The number of violations I'd committed in the short drive was probably greater than the rest of my life combined. Losing my parents to a car accident had made me a very careful driver.

"Are you ready to go shopping?" I asked Alice as I scooped her out of the seat.

I glanced around, pleased to see the parking lot had only a handful of cars. Hopefully no one would notice her unfortunate diaper situation. Inside, the store was more crowded than the empty parking lot indicated. Still, no one seemed to take notice of us, so I kept my head down and pretended this was a normal day for me.

I tried to tug one of the carts out of the stack at the entrance, but they were all chained together. Unsure what was required to get one, I tugged a harder thinking maybe the chain was supposed to come out and it was just stuck. I was surprised to find I'd pulled hard enough to snap the chain.

I deposited Alice in the seat of the cart and hurried into the store, hoping no one would notice the broken metal and ask questions. Not that they'd believe the truth if I told them I was a vampire with super-strength.

I was relieved to find Alice seemed to know exactly what she wanted. She stretched a hand out to a bright blue box featuring a cheerful looking cartoon tiger as we rolled down the cereal aisle.

"These ones?" I grabbed a box off the shelf and put it in the cart.

Alice squealed and clapped.

"Okay, good, you won't starve. Now let's find you some diapers."

As I wandered down the remaining aisles in search of the elusive diapers, Alice managed to spot an astounding array of things that she seemed to feel were necessary additions to the cart. If I tried to pass by one of her suggested items without adding it to the pile, she would screech until I went back and retrieved it.

I was just adding a box of some disgusting looking cream-filled pastries called Twinkies to the cart when a familiar voice called my name.

"Edward, is that you?"

I turned to face Bella Swan, a pretty brunette who sat next to me in the Latin course I'd selected as an elective for the latest semester. We hadn't spoken much, aside from a few occasions we'd been paired off for the TA's in-class assignments. She had always been friendly, if a little shy.

She struck me as one of those, sweet all-American girls. She was a great student from what I could tell, and was nice to a fault. And of course, she was gorgeous.

Her chestnut hair hung in shiny waves down to her waist and her flawless skin was nearly as pale as mine. Her eyes were a deep brown that matched her hair. She wasn't a classic example of bombshell, but she was beautiful nonetheless. If I was honest with myself, she was exactly the kind of girl I imagined myself with when I thought of having a mate, at least physically. I'd always been partial to brunettes.

Most intriguing of all, her mind was silent to me. I'd never come across anyone so resistant to my ability before. It was as if there was a constant barrier in place protecting her thoughts from me.

"Hi, Bella," I smiled weakly. Alice grabbed my sleeve, tugging it to get my attention.

Bella's eyes landed on Alice, widening as they did.

"You have a daughter?" she asked carefully, waving uncertainly at Alice who returned the gesture.

"Uh, no," I said hastily. "I'm babysitting. This is Alice. She's my, um, niece. My brother left her with me."

I figured Alice looked enough like Emmett that it was a valid explanation. Besides, who else would trust me with their baby? It was pretty obvious I was out of my element. It was better than explaining the whole sordid story.

"We didn't have much in the way of food left," I continued, "so… we're grocery shopping."

I gestured to the cart, which was stocked high with all of Alice's picks. Bella glanced into it and frowned.

"Are you sure you should be feeding a toddler all those sugary snacks? I mean, I don't want to impede on your authority as babysitter or anything, but that's a lot of crap you have in there."

"Alice picked them," I added. "I didn't know what she'd eat."

Bella chuckled; a soft, warm sound that set me at ease. "So you thought it was a good idea to let a toddler to make all the grocery-shopping decisions?"

"Like I said, I didn't know what she would like. I wanted her to actually eat the stuff I got." I couldn't help my defensive tone.

"I can help if you like," Bella suggested. "I have a cousin around the same age. They probably eat similar things."

I wasn't about to turn down help. I heaved an internal sigh of relief, more grateful than I could express for the assistance. It felt like I'd finally spotted land after being stuck at sea for months.

"Yes, thank you, that would be great. If you don't mind," I added, trying not to sound too desperate.

"Of course not." She smiled at Alice, tickling under her chin. "You, missy, are very sneaky, taking advantage of your uncle."

Alice squirmed away, giggling. "No!"

"Hey, I'm right here," I sniffed. "I haven't spent much time around babies, okay?"

"What was my first clue?" Bella smirked. "First thing you need to know is they're always looking for a chink in your armour. Alice seems to have found yours with ease."

"What's that?"

"Your inability to say no," she stated matter-of-factly, a hint of a smile tugging at her pretty features. "First step, let's clean out most of this crap. She can keep one or two things. How long is she staying with you?"

"I'm not sure exactly. That's kind of up in the air right now," I said carefully, not wanting to lie any more than necessary.

"Okay, we'll just get the basics then."

She reached into the cart to grab one of the boxed items to return and burst into laughter.

"Oh my god," she gasped out between chuckles, a hand clasping over her mouth in a poor attempt to stifle them. "What have you done to her?" She pointed at the duct tape and sweater monstrosity that Alice wore in place of a diaper, giggles escaping between her fingers.

I crossed my arms defensively.

"I wasn't left any diapers. I was desperate. I was planning to buy some after getting food."

"And where exactly were you planning to put them?" Bella asked, eyeing the overflowing cart.

I shrugged sheepishly. "I hadn't thought that far ahead."

Together Bella and I cleaned out most of the cart, leaving only the frosted cereal that Alice had picked out initially.

The raven-haired heathen in the cart frowned as each item was returned to the shelf but seemed to recognize that Bella was in charge now and she was not someone to be messed with. There was no screaming like when I'd tried to return an item before, just silent pouting. That, I could handle.

"How do you do that?" I asked in awe, once the cart was cleared and Alice was left playing with the single cereal box. "She's not screaming bloody murder for not getting her way."

Alice was babbling at the box, seeming to have an imaginary conversation with the tiger on it.

Bella shrugged. "It's just one of those things. Like I said, babies find and exploit weakness. If you show no weakness, there's nothing for them to exploit. After I put started putting everything away, she figured out I wasn't going to let her have all those sugary things."

"That's awfully manipulative for someone so small," I pointed out.

Bella laughed, her features lighting up with warmth. "Yeah, it is. You'll figure it out, don't worry. So I suppose you're new to this uncle thing?"

I nodded. "It's my first time babysitting."

"Wow, a first timer, and they made you go grocery shopping with her? That's cruel. What exactly did you do to piss off your brother?"

I shrugged, pushing the cart down the next aisle. "Oh probably about eight decades worth of things. He had something urgent to attend to though, it's not his fault."

"If you say so."

Bella chose a handful of healthy fruits and vegetables that smelled like dirt. I dropped them into the cart, making a concentrated effort not to let my disgust show. A loaf of bread, some juice, a carton of milk, eggs and cheese slices were also added to the cart. Each item smelled worse than the last.

"That should be enough to hold you over for a little while," Bella said, peering at her selections as she added a sippy cup.

"What do I do with them?"

I was probably giving away my ignorance but I didn't really care. It was better I know than accidentally feed Alice the wrong thing.

Bella laughed. "She's almost two, right? She eats most things you do. Just keep it simple."

"I doubt that," I muttered.

Bella laughed, drawing the wrong conclusion. "Well, it's probably a good idea to keep her away from beer and wings, but stuff like a grilled cheese sandwich or a bowl of cereal she can have. You can make those with the stuff we got."

I didn't dare explain that I had no idea how to make those things. My human memories were limited and didn't include much in the way of food preparation, even though in the last five years of my life, I'd made most of the food Emmett and I ate. My brother hadn't been much of a cook. The extent of my current knowledge was limited to television and hearing people think as they cooked, neither of which seemed like a reliable source of information.

"All that's left is getting diapers," Bella pointed out.

In search of diapers, we passed by the toy aisle. I stopped, recognizing the two dolls from Alice's thoughts earlier in the day. The ones she had been playing with in the strangely accurate version of our living room. I pulled one of the dolls off the shelf, examining it. The pink patterned dress was identical. As were the creepy googly eyes.

I handed them both to Alice, who beamed like I'd given her the sun. She waved the dolls happily, clonking them together.

"Dolwy! Teddy!" She extended one to me.

"Later," I offered. "We can play later, okay?"

Bella grinned at me. "That was nice of you. You just made her day, you know."

I shrugged. "I guess I'm getting a hang of this uncle thing."

Bella nodded. "I'd say so. She's lucky to have you. It's obvious you love her very much. I love that she calls you Teddy. That's adorable."

I shrugged bashfully, pointing out that we'd reached the diaper aisle.

"I don't suppose I should ask if you have a preference?" Bella wondered as she perused the massive wall of options.

I shrugged. I didn't know it was possible to have a preference. A diaper was a diaper, wasn't it?

"Is there really that much difference between them?"

Bella chuckled. "I'll just get the ones my aunt Esme uses. She's very adamant they're the best, though I'm with you, a diaper is a diaper. They're all going to the same place."

She deposited a package in the cart and examined its contents of it a final time.

"Well, I guess that's everything." She smiled at me.

I smiled back. "Thanks for your help. Alice and I appreciate it very much."

"No problem. It was my pleasure. It was kinda fun and this one," she poked Alice who giggled, "is the cutest thing. If you're ever babysitting again, you should bring her over to meet my cousin. I have him most afternoons while my aunt is at work."

She stood on her toes and kissed my cheek. I could have sworn it burned under her lips, though my skin must have felt cool to her.

"I'd be happy to give you my number, in case you have any questions, or if you want to set something up."

My eyes shot up, meeting hers.

I was no stranger to girls offering me their phone numbers. Usually I had no interest in hearing from them and they were tossed in the trash. Bella, I actually liked. It wasn't just because she'd helped me out, either. I genuinely wanted to get to know her.

Friendship wasn't something I'd ever been allowed in this life and I'd never really felt like I was missing out. Emmett and Carlisle had always been all I needed. But I found I wanted to be Bella Swan's friend.

"That would be great, thanks."

She tapped her number into my phone with practiced ease. I hoped she didn't look at the contact list. It was embarrassingly empty. I pocketed it when she handed it back.

"Thanks again, Bella."

"Bye!" Alice input.

She smiled, waving at the little girl a final time. "Bye, Alice. I'll see you in class Thursday, Edward?"

I nodded, waiting until she disappeared around the corner to turn to Alice with what I'm sure was a ridiculous smile.

"She was really nice, huh?" I asked. "That was Bella. We go to class together."

"Belwa."

I nodded. "Yeah, that's her."

When I got back home, the house was still empty. I unloaded the groceries and Alice (who was much more cooperative in the backseat this time, with her dolls as a distraction).

I managed to finagle together a cheese sandwich and a glass of juice for her, just as Bella has suggested. I even cut it into squares and cut off the crusts just like I'd seen mothers do in Kraft commercials. She ate it without wailing once, so I figured I must have done something right.

I'd just handed her a little bowl full of the frosted cereal as a reward for her compliance when my brothers strode in the door.

"We've got news," Emmett announced, not bothering to pause before launching into it. "We're keeping Alice."

xx

_Better now that we've met Bella? As always I welcome all thoughts and questions :)_


	3. Chapter Three

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_I'm not entirely happy with this chapter and I can't put my finger on what's bothering me about it. I've sat on it for two days and it's not getting any better, so I'm just putting it out there. I hope you all enjoy it nonetheless. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment. You've all been very supportive of this ridiculous little story :)_

**_Prewarning:_**_ I've fudged state law. I have no idea how guardianship/foster care/etc. work in Washington State, so please forgive the artistic license. If it gets you hung up, remember you're reading a story about 'light refracting' vampires. Suspension of disbelief is a requirement._

xx

"What do you mean 'we're keeping Alice?'" I repeated. It couldn't sound like what I thought it did. "She's human. We can't keep a human baby! We're vampires! Vampires don't raise babies."

"Dude, trust me, I'm on your side," Emmett soothed, though his gigantic grin said otherwise. "It was all Carlisle. You should've seen him." He eagerly replayed the memory for me.

_His face twisted with fury, Carlisle slammed a fist down on the officer's desk. It looked frightening but required a lot of restraint on his part. He could have easily shattered the wood. The man behind the desk must have been accustomed to dealing with tempers because his stern expression didn't budge. He gave Carlisle an unimpressed look._

"_There's nothing I can do."_

"_You didn't put in much effort!" Carlisle growled at him. "All you did was type a few words into a computer! Her mother's dead. I accept that. But she must have some other family. I refuse to let you toss her aside without looking."_

"_I'm sorry, sir, but she has no family that fulfills the state's requirements," the officer said in the kind of polite monotone developed over years of dealing with stubborn people. "In Ms. Brandon's will you are listed as the child's lawful guardian in the event of her death. If we can't find an immediate relative of the deceased and/or the child who is willing to care for her in your place, the child becomes a ward of the state and therefore a candidate for foster care. Ms. Brandon chose not to list the child's father on her birth certificate and she has no other living relatives who fulfill the State's requirements. I'm sorry it upsets you, but that's the law."_

"_That is such bullshit," Carlisle snapped. "Emmett, is what he's saying true?"_

_Emmett nodded, apologetic. "'Fraid so. If her father's relatives were around, we might've been able to build a case for them but since his identity is unknown, I'd say we're shit out of luck."_

_Carlisle's nostrils flared. "Fine. If that's how it is, I accept guardianship." He snatched the papers he'd placed on the officer's desk earlier. Pulling a pen from his pocket, he scribbled his neat signature on the required lines._

"_I assume that's all that's required of me at this time?" He straightened, glaring at the man behind the desk. "If there's anything else, please contact my lawyer."_

_He dropped a business card on the desk with an arrogant flick._

_"Come on, Emmett, let's get out of here."_

"It was awesome," Emmett recounted fondly, slapping an embarrassed Carlisle on the back. "He was such a badass. It made me proud to call him my brother."

"Wait a second," I said, still trying to play catch up with everything I'd seen in Emmett's head. "Alice's mother is dead?"

Emmett sobered. "Yeah. Suicide. She dropped Alice here, went home and shot herself. The cop said the hole of an apartment they found her in was swept clean of any belongings except the gun. I guess that's why she didn't leave much of anything with Alice. There was nothing left to leave. She didn't have a cent to her name."

I glanced at the little girl on the couch playing with her new dolls. She was a healthy weight and seemed to be a happy baby, not that I really knew much about how babies normally acted. Regardless, she didn't seem to have come from a poverty-stricken household.

"But she seems so normal," I hedged. "I'd never have guessed."

"Cynthia loved her," Carlisle said simply. "I'm willing to bet she made sure Alice was taken care of, even if it was at her own expense."

"So that's it?" I clarified, still watching Alice. "We're her legal guardians now?"

"Well, technically I am," Carlisle offered a sheepish smile, "but yes, I hope you'll help out. Speaking of which, how was she while we were gone?"

I smiled, surprised to realize I'd actually enjoyed my time with her.

"Great. We only had couple minor issues. We went shopping for food and diapers. Guess that's a good thing, now that she's staying with us."

Carlisle's tone dropped in suspicion. "Issues?"

I pointed at the white loveseat, holding back a smirk in remembrance. It was a lot funnier in hindsight, when I wasn't in panic mode.

"Alice had a little accident."

Carlisle sprung up, inspecting the yellowed mark with a sigh.

Emmett burst into uproarious laughter. "Oh man, all the times you grumbled at me about putting my feet on your loveseat because it would get 'dirty.' This is karma telling you to loosen the hell up. I can't believe you didn't notice. I was wondering what that smell was."

Carlisle shot him a stare. "Alice isn't even two yet. She has an excuse. You, on the other hand, should know better."

Emmett shrugged, too pleased by Carlisle's misfortune to take offense.

"By the way, Emmett," I added casually, "I hope you don't mind, I borrowed one of the Ralph Lauren sweaters you bought last week."

Emmett grinned, kicking up his feet on the antique coffee table, purposefully pouring salt into Carlisle's wound.

"Always trying to jack my style, little brother. No biggie. Mi sweater est tu sweater and all that jazz."

"I hope you know that was neither Spanish nor French," I cringed. The wordsmith in me was ashamed we shared genes.

My brother flatly refused to expand his repertoire of languages, always choosing to study more technical arts like law and science. He was the kind of person who liked absolutes, whereas I preferred more creative outlets. It was amazing how different we were for two people with the same gene pool.

Emmett tucked his arms behind his head. "Whatever, my point was you can borrow my stuff. See if I'm so nice next time. Jesus."

"It wasn't for me," I explained. Forcing down a smirk, I lifted the blanket covering Alice's lower half. The navy pattern of Emmett's former sweater was just barely visible beneath the numerous bands of duct tape. "It was for Alice."

One of us should probably rescue her from the awful thing now that I'd bought actual diapers. I'd been too focused on feeding her earlier to worry about changing her. Now that my brothers were home, I figured it was their turn.

Emmett's jaw dropped. "Tell me you didn't use my sweater as a diaper."

"Oh, but I did."

Payback was a bitch and I'd hit Emmett where it hurt. He was a vain asshole who cared way too much about his clothes.

"I was in a panic and it was the first thing in reach. Sorry." There was no hiding my decidedly unapologetic tone.

"You were saying something about karma, Emmett?" Carlisle interjected with a smirk of his own.

"Fucker. It was limited edition." Emmett growled at me, before peeking at Alice with an abashed expression. "Uh, I mean, shithead. Wait, no, asswipe! Fuck! Are all insults curse words?"

"You shouldn't have left it lying around," I snapped. "It wouldn't kill you to put stuff away, you know. Oh, and since I took first diaper duty, you can change her this time."

Emmett growled at me.

"If you hurry you might be able to salvage your sweater," I added, just to irritate him; it wasn't true, the duct tape ensured that. He'd been such an ass about Carlisle's soiled couch that I didn't feel guilty rubbing it in.

Emmett fumed. He took his designer labels very seriously.

I didn't get what the big deal was; Ralph Lauren was barely a step above Hilfiger. Everyone knew Hilfiger was the bottom of the high fashion barrel. He should be thanking me for making space in his closet for nicer things.

Carlisle laughed, picking up Alice. "While you two sort out your differences, I'm going to get this thing off of Alice."

He carried her into the kitchen to retrieve a pair of scissors. Emmett cringed at the snipping sound of metal shearing through fabric.

I gave him a smug look. "That's what you get for leaving me alone with her knowing I would have to change her diaper."

Emmett's lips thinned into a tight line, though his thoughts held admiration for my audacity. "Well played, ass."

I crossed my arms. "You deserved it."

"Okay, fine, maybe I did. But you destroyed a piece of art. A limited edition piece of art. Limited edition, Edward. What did Ralph ever do to you?"

"Make awful clothes," I said with a straight face, knowing it would annoy him.

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You're just jealous I scored one of those sweaters and you didn't. You love that kind of preppy shit even more than I do. You're practically the poster boy for geek chic."

Carlisle returned with a freshly changed Alice, setting her on the couch next to me. She seemed happy to no longer be wearing the monstrosity that was Emmett's former sweater.

"Sorry Em, but I had to toss the sweater," he explained.

I laughed at Emmett's woeful expression.

Carlisle nodded to his office. "I'm going to make a call to my lawyer to check everything's squared with the guardianship. I trust the three of you will survive without me?"

We nodded and he disappeared, the low cadence of his phone voice seeping through the closed door.

Alice crawled across the couch scrambling over my legs to reach the little bowl of cereal I'd put to the side when she had abandoned it in favour of her dolls.

I handed it to her and she grabbed a handful of the cereal, trying to stuff it all in her mouth at once. Needless to say, it didn't fit.

"Ummy," she said, offering me the remains.

I cringed and took the soggy mess, not wanting to offend her. I dumped them back in her bowl the moment she turned away.

"She's saying my name again," Emmett said proudly, his chest puffing out. "I guess she missed me. She knows I'm the best, already. She's a fast learner."

"She's saying 'yummy,' Em," I pointed out, snickering at his misinterpretation. "She likes the cereal more than she likes you."

Emmett deflated, glaring at the cereal like it had personally offended him. I supposed it had.

"How did you know what she would eat, anyway?" he asked. "She's too young to eat normal shi– er, stuff, right? Did a store clerk take pity on you?"

I was very glad my face was incapable of turning red. "A girl I know from school helped me," I said nonchalantly, hoping I sounded indifferent. "We bumped into one another and she offered."

Predictably, Emmett's interest was piqued. "She _offered_, eh?"

I sighed at his suggestive tone. My brother had a one-track mind. Everything led straight down a one-way road to sex. He desperately wanted to know if she was hot; he was trying and failing to picture someone I would find attractive.

"She's _pretty_," I said, pointedly replacing his choice of word before he could ask the question aloud. Bella Swan didn't strike me as the kind of girl who would want to be called hot.

"Same damn difference," Emmett smirked. "If you'd bang her, she's hot."

"You know I don't–"

Emmett rolled his eyes. "Bang anyone. Yes, I know. How could I forget? You're waiting for your 'mate.' Between you and Carlisle I feel like I'm living in a nunnery. There's nothing wrong with looking and appreciating what's out there, you know."

I shrugged, feeling defensive of Bella though I couldn't articulate why.

"I said she was pretty. What more do you want? I'm not going to objectify her just because you were hoping for something more pornographic."

"Appreciating, not objectifying, Edward," Emmett corrected with a smirk a mile wide.

He sounded suspiciously prideful. Was I really so pathetic that he was proud I'd made a friend who happened to be a girl?

"You like her," he stated, his smirk growing impossibly larger.

"She's human," I said in lieu of an answer, averting my gaze. I reminded myself that nothing good could come from thinking about how attractive I found Bella Swan.

Alice and her empty cereal bowl were suddenly very fascinating. I busied myself going to the kitchen to refill it. I took my time, hoping Emmett would drop the subject if I took long enough.

"Did you get her number?" Emmett pressed the moment I returned.

I sighed, resigning myself to his questioning.

"Yes," I admitted reluctantly, handing Alice the refilled bowl. "It was purely for educational purposes, though. She said I could call her if I had any more questions about Alice. She said we could set up a playdate for Alice with her little cousin, too."

Emmett grinned. You would have thought that I'd just declared we had won the lottery.

"That's great."

I had only a fraction of a second warning before Emmett launched himself at my phone, which I'd made the mistake of leaving on the coffee table. It wasn't long enough. Emmett's hand clasped around it a moment before mine grasped emptiness.

He was across the room in an instant, scrolling through the contacts with one hand and holding me off with the other. He was a lot stronger and had a good forty pounds on me. I didn't stand a chance. My one advantage, speed, wasn't much use when he already had the phone.

"Bella Swan," he read off the screen. "Very pretty name. For a _pretty_ girl, right, E?"

"Give it back," I demanded.

He grinned, enjoying having the upper hand.

"I think we should text her and see what's up. See if maybe she's into you, too?"

"I don't think so."

An invisible knot twisted somewhere deep in my stomach. I had a feeling this was going to turn out very badly for me. I tried to swipe the phone again but Emmett held me off. Typing something with one hand, he made a concentrated effort to think about something else so I wouldn't know what he was writing.

When he was finished, he tossed it back at me.

"There. You're welcome, bro. Don't worry, I made it sound like you. She'll never know the difference," he proclaimed proudly.

I fumbled through the screens to see what god-awful things he had written, wondering if I'd ever be able to face Bella Swan again.

_Hey, Bella_, _thanks for your help today. You're a goddess. Alice is eating the stuff we got. P.S. We should set up that play date. Alice is getting bored with me._

It wasn't as bad as I'd expected. At least he'd used proper spelling and grammar. The relief was short-lived as what he'd written registered.

"'You're a goddess?'" I quoted, grumbling. "Who says that? I sound like an idiot from a romantic comedy. Also, you're implying that I'm boring in the postscript. Thanks a lot."

"Chill out and trust me on this," Emmett beamed. "I know how women think."

"No, _I _know how women think," I snapped. "You just think you know how they think."

"Just because you can hear what women think doesn't mean you know how they think," Emmett challenged. "Trust me, she's gonna be thrilled you cared enough to send her a thank you text. And she'll be even happier you called her a goddess."

As it turned out, the asshole was right. A couple minutes later I got a reply.

_I'm hardly a goddess, but thanks :) A playdate sounds like fun. Jasper is going to love having someone to play with. I'm free thursday afternoon after class if you are. Let me know._

Emmett read over my shoulder as I responded, settling the details with Bella. He slapped my shoulder.

"What did I tell you? You got yourself a date, E."

"A playdate," I corrected. "It's for Alice, not for me."

Emmett shrugged. "Either way, a hot girl is coming over to spend time with you. She would've said no if you repulsed her. She likes you. Isn't that right, Alice?" He crouched down to ask her in his creepy baby voice.

She waved one of her dolls at him. He took it, devising an even worse voice for it.

"Bella likes Edward," he said in his stupid voice. "Edward likes Bella." He bumped the dolls together making kissing noises. "And they lived haaappily ever after." Alice's responding giggles made him break character with his own laughter.

"She's only doing it for Alice and her cousin. They'll be there, too," I reminded my brother flatly, though arguing was pointless. Emmett's mind was made up and nothing I had to say was going to change it.

"Don't forget about me," he smirked. "I have to witness this. It's going to be fudging priceless."

"In that case, you should probably know that Bella thinks you're Alice's father," I told him.

Emmett dropped the doll he was holding. I snickered, amused that the tables had turned. Even Alice glanced up at him, curiosity colouring her tiny features. Maybe that had more to do with the fact he'd stopped playing with her.

"Emmy!" she demanded, clonking her doll against his knee.

"Why would you tell her that?" he sputtered, picking up the other doll. "What would possess you to think that was a good idea?"

I shrugged. "I had to give some explanation why someone would trust me with their baby. She was wearing a sweater as a diaper, Emmett. I was worried I would be locked up for child endangerment if I didn't explain myself," I defended. "The whole baby on the doorstep thing seemed contrived. And you look more like her than Carlisle does."

"Who cares if it sounds contrived! It's true!"

I chuckled at his indignation. "Well, it's done now. There's no point in complaining about it… daddy."

Emmett glowered at me. "Dude, that's not funny."

I pointed at Alice who was giggling about something totally unrelated, though he didn't know that. "She thinks so."

Emmett shoved the doll he was holding into my hand. "Shut up and play with Alice."

I took the doll, but Alice thrust the other one at him. "Emmy pway," she insisted.

Emmett and I both adopted voices for the dolls, putting on a show for Alice, who giggled endlessly. Emmett was especially animated. He'd never had someone think he was so hilarious before.

I halted mid-sentence as a familiar scene took shape.

It was the same one I'd seen in Alice's head, except now it was reality. I glanced around, checking that all the details matched. They did. Somehow, the little girl in front of me had seen this happening. There was no denying it. My memory was perfect and the two scenes matched like identical photocopies.

"Alice is a precog," I muttered, to myself more than anything else, as I made the association. I knew it sounded strange but I was a vampire for god's sake. Strange was my reality.

My brother laughed, thinking I was joking.

"No, really. She saw this," I waved between us and the dolls, "happening three hours ago. Maybe that's how she knew our names," I speculated, as the connections formed in my head.

The more I thought about it, the more sense it made.

"Maybe she's seen us before. That's why we're not strangers to her, even though we've never met her before today. That's why she's so comfortable with us. She knew this was going to happen."

Emmett sobered. "You're not kidding are you?"

I shook my head. "It makes sense if you think about it, doesn't it?"

"I guess," Emmett conceded. "I mean, assuming she can see the future. Which you have to know sounds effing nuts, by the way."

"Is it really any different than me being able to read thoughts?"

"You're a vampire," Emmett pointed out. "She's human. A human _baby_. She can barely talk, yet you're saying she can see the future?"

"Carlisle said my gift was probably established before I was changed," I reminded him. "Maybe it's the same for her. Maybe this is a lesser form of what she would be capable of if she was a vampire."

Over the next couple days, it became apparent I had been right about Alice's ability.

A dozen times a day, she would envision something happening that manifested itself later in the day. Occasionally there was a vision of something that appeared to be further in the future, though those weren't as frequent.

We settled into a routine with Alice more easily than any of us could have expected given our inexperience with children. Though we weren't perfect, Alice seemed to be happy and that was what mattered.

On the days Carlisle was at work, Emmett and I alternated watching her. On the few occasions when our classes overlapped, we flipped for who would be her babysitter. To Carlisle's shock, Emmett had even taken to volunteering.

He had discovered she was a surefire way to attract the attention of sympathetic women and he reveled in the attention. So did Alice, he claimed. She was outgoing, so I didn't doubt it, but still, she was a baby not a trophy. Carlisle had told him flatly that he could only take her out if it was necessary after that.

The food supplies I'd picked out with Bella's help were still keeping her fed so his excuses to get out were limited. Occasionally we had to pick up new things to keep her clothed and entertained but those things were easy enough for Carlisle to pick up on his way home.

Baby clothes were categorized by age, which made it easy for him to find the right size. Emmett had been amazed, pointing out how much simpler it made finding clothes that fit. I think he was a little jealous. I didn't need to remind him that if he had been looking for clothes based on age he'd be looking in the one hundred and two section.

He'd taken to online shopping for clothes for Alice to supplement Carlisle's basic picks. Alice had developed an astounding selection of clothing for someone who had only lived with us for half a week. Though the amount of baby clothing we'd acquired was excessive, the number of toys that had found their way into our house put Alice's closet to shame. In four days, the amount of toys Alice had amassed had effectively turned our living room into a playroom.

Emmett had gone a little overboard on his single shopping excursion to the toy store. I had a feeling it was as much for his sake as Alice's. It had gotten to the point where Carlisle had no choice but to buy a toy organizer if we ever intended to see the floor again. Emmett had to be reminded to use it frequently.

Though our selection of toys and clothes were plentiful, our knowledge of cooking human food was not. None of us remembered much from our human days and the few ideas Bella had given me were swiftly depleted. If it hadn't been for Google and the healthy community of mommybloggers, god only knew what kind of concoctions Alice would have been forced to eat.

Shockingly, Emmett found he was a good cook – at least according to Alice – and took great pride in being her "chef" when he was present. He spent an inordinate amount of time online planning out his "menus." Neither Carlisle nor I dared tease him, pleased he was helping out.

He was less enthusiastic about changing her diapers. When Carlisle and I returned home only to be handed a baby in a dirty diaper for the third time in as many days, we locked him in a room with nothing but Alice and a clean diaper and had taken bets on whether he'd actually do it or jump out the window. Lucky for us, he'd chosen the diaper. He claimed the experience hadn't been as awful as he had expected and grudgingly agreed to take diaper duty once in a while.

In exchange for a promise that he'd change all Alice's diapers for the day, I'd agreed to let him stay when Bella came over with her cousin. He'd been annoying me about meeting her all week, and I'd finally caved.

He would keep Alice at home while I went to class and I would bring Bella back to our place afterward so Emmett could meet her while the kids played. We certainly had enough toys for them to share.

"Are you sure you're okay to take her?" Carlisle checked, handing Alice to Emmett, having just finished dressing her for the day. He was due to leave for the hospital any minute.

Emmett grinned. "Yup, Ally and I are gonna hang out and watch Blue's Clues. I ordered a few new channels for her. Besides, Edward will be back by one with his giiirlfriend."

Emmett was really grating on my nerves with his refusal to accept my platonic relationship with Bella.

"She's not my girlfriend," I snapped for what had to be the hundredth time.

"Emmett, leave him alone," Carlisle sighed. "I've got to go. Play nice while I'm out, and for the love of everything holy, do not buy any more toys."

_Good luck with Bella, Edward_, he added, offering me a small smile.

Was I the only one who thought that spending time with a girl and two toddlers while my brother hovered in the background was far from momentous?

Emmett saluted. "No problem. I'll be plenty entertained watching Edward and his laaadyfriend."

"Waady!" Alice repeated. She seemed to be in one of those phases where she loved repeating the things she heard us say, though she didn't seem to know what many of the words meant.

Emmett laughed, offering her a high-five, which she eagerly returned. She had learned that meant she'd done something good.

"Emmett," Carlisle warned.

Emmett nodded solemnly, waiting until our brother was out the door to smirk at me.

"You're so easy. I just don't understand why you insist on living in denial about liking this chick. There's nothing to be ashamed about. We all have needs, even if we can't always act on them. That's what showers are for."

"You better not be such an asshole when she gets here," I muttered, not wanting to admit I'd used the shower for that very purpose this morning. I'd been very careful about ensuring Bella Swan never crossed my mind. "I don't want to have to kick your ass."

Emmett snorted. "You couldn't kick my ass if you tried. Isn't that right, Ally?" He cooed to her. "Say Uncle Emmy is stronger than Uncle Teddy."

"Teddy!" she called, recognizing my name.

"See?" I claimed. "She picked me."

Emmett frowned. "She has no idea what she's saying. It's babble. Aren't you going to be late to class?" He paused, his smirk resurfacing. "Don't forget to give Bella a kiss from me."

I pecked Alice on the head and left, not bothering to respond to Emmett's baiting. I'd learned over the years to scale back my reactions or he'd never give up.

Twenty minutes later, I slipped into the seat next to Bella's in our Latin class.

She smiled at me, her eyes warm. "Hey Edward. Ready for our playdate after class?"

I returned the smile. "We've been telling Alice about it all week. Not that she understands or anything, but we're excited to introduce her to another kid. She doesn't have much exposure to other kids her age."

Bella laughed. "That's okay. I don't think Jasper understands either. He doesn't speak much. He's kind of shy, especially around strangers. Can't really say that about Alice."

I nodded, thinking of how she knew Emmett and me before she had met us. "She does warm up to people pretty fast."

We quieted as the TA cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

Learning a new language had always been fascinating to me, so the period passed quickly. It was one discipline where it was beneficial to be taught by another person. Most other things I could learn faster from books. By the time Bella and I were packing up our bags to leave, I'd added a hundred new phrases to my vocabulary. I only had to hear them once to make them stick.

Bella tossed her car keys from hand to hand awkwardly.

"I've got to go pick up Jasper from my Aunt's before she goes to work. Do you want to follow me? Or maybe give me your address and I'll meet you there?"

"I can follow you," I suggested. "It's probably better if I lead the way to my house. It's kind of tucked away. The turnoff to our driveway isn't easy to spot."

"Fair warning," Bella explained, "I live pretty far out of the way. You're the one in danger of getting lost. I hope you have a good memory. You'll probably need it to get back to somewhere you recognize."

I didn't bother to explain that it would be impossible for me to get lost. I knew every single road in Seattle and had ever since I'd first laid eyes on a map of it. My internal compass was more accurate than any man-made one.

She wasn't kidding when she said she lived out of the way. Forty-five minutes later we pulled up in front of a modest, two story home. I admired Bella's dedication; she had never been absent or late to class, which was not something that could be said of most of the students who lived on campus.

"This is me," she called, stepping out of her rusty pickup and jerking her thumb at the red brick house.

I rolled down my window for appearances, though I could hear her perfectly.

"I'll be right back. My aunt knows we're going out so I just have to pick up Jasper and we can go. Unless you want to come in for a drink first?"

I shook my head, not wanting to have to make excuses about my diet. "I'll wait out here. It's fine." I smiled reassuringly.

Bella disappeared, returning a minute later with a little boy with curly platinum blond hair. She strapped him into a car seat in her truck and waved for me to pull out before following.

Remembering the ordeal taking Alice shopping had been, I decided it was probably a good idea if we got Alice a car seat, too. I was surprised by how normal the thought was… like making plans for Alice to be a part our lives for the foreseeable future was an ordinary occurrence. I tried not to think too hard about the inevitable. She was human and that meant one of two things eventually had to happen. I didn't want to think about either of them.

Our house was in the same general direction as Bella's, just about twenty minutes back, so the second leg of our journey was a lot shorter.

"Wow," Bella muttered as we stepped onto the circular drive. "You didn't tell me you lived in a mansion."

I shrugged. "My oldest brother's a doctor."

"My aunt's a nurse," Bella supplied, as she unbuckled Jasper. "Though I suppose that's not really the same. Pay scale being a major point of difference, obviously." She nodded at the house with a smile.

"Trust me, the fact that my brother is a doctor isn't the whole story," I said, immediately regretting doing so.

The real reason we were as well off as we were was that we were vampires with plenty of time to wait for investments to pay off. There was no way I could explain that if she asked. And she would ask; I'd practically invited her to with my statement.

She didn't.

"Insurance money?" she guessed, bouncing Jasper on her hip. "You haven't mentioned anything about your parents… and the fact that you live with your brothers suggests you're still living at home."

I glanced at her, surprised by her intuitiveness.

"Yeah," I admitted. It was kind of true in a way. What remained of my parents life insurance by the time Emmett and I had met Carlisle had provided seed money, at least.

"My mom, too," she admitted quietly. "That's why I live with my aunt Esme. She's the best substitute parent I could have asked for."

The conversation was cut short as Emmett burst through the front door with Alice in his arms.

"Hey Bella," he greeted with a smile the size of Texas. "I've heard a lot about you."

I sent up a mental prayer. What the hell had been going through my head when I thought allowing Emmett to meet Bella was a good idea?

"Hi," Bella smiled politely. "Emmett is it?"

He nodded. "You got it."

"Well, it was a fifty/fifty shot," she explained. "So that means you're Alice's father. She's really adorable."

"It's in the genes," Emmett boasted, only to be interrupted by an excited Alice.

She extended a tiny hand to Jasper.

"Japper!"

Jasper buried his head in Bella's shoulder, looking terrified of the little girl reaching for him. Bella stroked his hair soothingly.

"It's okay, honey, that's Alice. She wants to be your friend."

He peeked at Alice hesitantly, still unsure. He thought she was too loud. I snickered internally; it had been a stroke of genius to claim she was related to Emmett.

"That was sweet of you to teach Alice his name," Bella told us.

I had done no such thing and judging by the look on Emmett's face, he hadn't either. I had a sinking feeling Alice had learned his name the same way she'd learned mine and Emmett's. Emmett seemed to realize it too.

He smoothed his expression into a charming smile, covering for Alice.

"We wanted him to feel welcome. Come on in, guys. I made cupcakes. Ally's usually my little taste tester, but I could use a few new mouths."


	4. Chapter Four

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_I'm a little late with this one, I know, but I've been knee-deep in job hunting. I think it's a fun chapter, though, so hopefully it was worth the added wait. Thank you to everyone reading and reviewing, you're awesome :) _

xx

"Wow, Emmett," Bella gushed, popping the last of a chocolate cupcake into her mouth and grinning at my brother. "That was the best cupcake I've had in a long time. You're coming home with me to be my personal chef, right?"

The little humming sound she made might have been indecent if it wasn't chocolate-induced.

Instead of focusing on that, I busied myself helping Alice unwrap her own baked treat, making a concentrated effort not to let my thoughts stray beyond the menial task. The disgusting scents of cocoa, milk and flour hanging in the air helped considerably. It was hard to think about much of anything with the musty odor of human confections fogging my head.

Emmett misinterpreted my scowl, one corner of his mouth curling into a smirk.

"I don't think Edward would like that very much, but thanks for the offer. I try." He topped the comment off with cheesy wink that made me reflexively roll my eyes. Did girls really buy that shit as charming? I hoped not.

I didn't know which was more ludicrous, my brother's faux humility, or his far from subtle reference to my attraction to Bella, the latter of which was entirely in his head. Well, mostly.

She was undeniably beautiful, but the fact remained that I had no intention of pursing anything beyond friendship. She was human, for god's sake. While I wasn't opposed to finding a human mate – it had worked out well enough for Kate – my brother was making a commonplace friendship out to be something remarkable.

Bella's coffee eyes widened in confusion at Emmett's remark. Or was that amusement? It was frustrating not being able to peek into her mind to determine what she was thinking. I'd never noticed how much I relied on my ability to get a read on people until now.

"Oh, well, it was a long shot, anyway," she responded, her tone light. I could feel her eyes lingering on me, even though I made a concentrated effort not to look at her directly. "Jasper will just have to make do with my baking, isn't that right, sweetie?"

Jasper gave her a chocolate-filled grin. Most of his cupcake had ended up smeared on his face. Alice wasn't faring much better. Her hands were a sticky brown mess. What was left of the cupcake was crushed in her small fist.

Jasper had warmed up to us a little when it became clear we intended to ply him with sugary treats. He and Alice had that in common. Despite their shared love of sweet things, Jasper still didn't seem to trust her, if his wary reaction to her chocolate-covered fist and invite to "pway" was any indication.

"Not so fast," Bella admonished, retrieving a dispenser of wet wipes from the hefty diaper bag she'd brought with her. "Clean up first."

She tugged one of Jasper's messy hands in hers, gently cleaning his little fingers like she'd done it a thousand times before. Maybe she had. Jasper surrendered to her, his blue eyes trusting.

"Do you remember the clean up song?" she asked him, humming a tune I was now familiar with, thanks to a god-awful children's program starring a ridiculous purple dinosaur. The past week with Alice I'd seen – and heard – a lot of things I would never be able to forget.

"Clean!" Jasper announced proudly.

"That's right," Bella nodded. "Clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere. Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share," she sang softly, smiling at Jasper who listened patiently, letting her wipe him down.

"Cwean Awice!" Alice insisted as she reached a sticky hand out to Bella, wanting to join in the fun.

Bella smiled at her. "I'll tell you what, why don't you let your Uncle Teddy clean you up while I finish Jasper? I'm sure he can hold a tune. You don't get to be a music major if you can't," she told Alice conversationally, passing me a handful of wipes.

I sighed, accepting them.

Whereas Bella came across as sweet and maternal, I could only hope I didn't make too big an idiot of myself. I preferred instruments to the sound my own voice. My piano conveyed everything that needed to be said far better than I ever could.

I couldn't refuse Bella's hopeful gaze, or a pair of toddlers, so I sang the damn song. I wasn't nearly as efficient as Bella had been cleaning Jasper, but after three encores I managed to get Alice looking respectable.

Emmett, who had been watching this transpire from the sidelines, looked positively giddy with repressed mirth.

"Shut up," I snapped. That was enough to set him off.

"Sorry, sorry," he gasped through laughter. "I can't believe you actually did that. You won't sing for anyone. You remember when Mom forced you join the church choir just to hear your voice?"

The mention of our mother sobered us both.

Our parents had always been a sacred subject. I smiled at the foggy memory I hadn't dusted off in years. It was stored in an old, cobwebbed corner of my mind, faded and a little worse for wear, but very much present.

I smiled. "Yeah. I was pretty stubborn. Too bad Mom was more stubborn."

"You hated every minute of it," Emmett recalled, "but Mom thought you were God's gift to music. Coincidentally, so did all the blue-eyed, blonde-pigtailed little girls you shared the row with." He chuckled. "But you couldn't have been more oblivious. It was fracking adorable."

He ruffled my hair, still lost in reminiscing about our childhood. I shut him out, unable to stand seeing scrawny nine-year-old Edward with his crazy hair and green eyes that looked just like Mom's. That chapter of my life was done and lingering on it too long made me ache with nostalgia.

"Despite what Mom thought, you wailed like a cat. Still do," Emmett asserted, though his dimples gave away the lie. I knew he was just trying to snap me out of my funk.

"I think you've got a lovely voice, Edward," Bella commented supportively. She pointed at Alice. "So does Alice."

Emmett scoffed. "You got that from the clean up song? Really?"

Bella's cheeks darkened to a flushed pink.

"Um, well, actually, I knew that before today. I've heard Edward rehearsing in the choir room. I swear I wasn't being a stalker or anything," she rushed to explain, ducking her head in embarrassment. "One of my friends works up in the stage lighting booth and sometimes I hang out with her while she's setting up for evening performances. We can hear everything going on in the rehearsal rooms from up there."

The past semester, I'd been forced to take a vocal course because I'd been late to register. Last summer we'd taken a trip Alaska, so choosing courses hadn't been a priority for me at the time. It was rare that Emmett, Carlisle and I spent extended periods of time with our cousins, so when we did, everything else in our lives was pushed to the wayside.

I'd never thought UDub's music department would be among the first to fill its courses. By the time we'd returned to Washington, most of my top choices were full and I'd been forced to deal with what remained. One of the courses I'd begrudgingly settled upon was intro to vocal composition.

I had no idea Bella had heard any of my rehearsals. I practiced alone in the choir room in the evenings specifically so I wouldn't be overheard. I knew Angela Webber – who I presumed was the friend Bella had mentioned – was often up in the lighting booth, but I'd never heard a second mind joining hers and she usually worked in near silence. Now I realized my mistake: Bella's silent mind would have made it appear like Angela was alone. I cursed myself for never paying enough attention to notice a second heartbeat.

Emmett's eyebrows nearly touched his hairline. "You've heard Edward sing. Like, actually sing?" He nudged me, full of misguided pride. "Dude, that puts her in a select group of, what, three living people who've heard you sing out loud?"

"What about all the people in the church when I was in choir?" I pointed out.

Emmett shrugged, sheepish. "Oh, yeah. Them. They're totally alive. Right."

"You really don't like people hearing you sing?" Bella wondered, mystified. "You've got a really nice voice. I mean that. You shouldn't be embarrassed. But why would you take vocal composition if you don't like to be heard performing?" Her pink cheeks returned full force. "I mean, Angela told me that's what you're rehearsing for."

I sighed, my own embarrassment surfacing.

"I didn't want to take it, but I was late registering and there wasn't much else left that fit the graduation requirements for my major. We went on vacation and I didn't think about registering earlier in the summer."

Bella smirked. "Late, huh? It's nice to know you're not perfect at everything. Well, actually, I guess I already knew that." She tipped her head in Alice's direction. "I did find you with a baby duct taped into a sweater at the grocery store. That's not exactly ideal."

"That sounds more like the lovable screw-up we know as Edward," Emmett agreed, all too happy to get in on the joke. Annoying me was a favourite pastime of his and now that he'd gotten over the ruined Ralph Lauren sweater ordeal, he was able to see the funny side of it.

Emmett lifted Alice from her highchair while Bella did the same for Jasper and we all migrated to the living room that had been transformed into a playroom over the past week. The organizer that Carlisle had bought was overflowing, numerous toys that didn't fit in it scattered on the floor nearby.

Jasper's eyes sparkled at the sight. Bella set him down and he scrambled over to the organizer, yanking open a bright yellow drawer, searching for god knows what. Whatever it was, I was pretty certain we had it.

Emmett set Alice down next to Jasper, who begrudgingly accepted her into his circle when she refused to take no for an answer. Before long, she was presiding over what appeared to be a monster truck rally. Jasper seemed content enough to let his bossier companion lead the way. Not that Alice would have let him take charge if he had wanted to.

"Aww, look at them playing together," Bella fawned proudly. "That's so cute." Her tone dropped, a note of seriousness entering it. "Jasper's preschool teacher says he doesn't like playing with other kids. Usually he sticks to himself. Esme was worried he was having trouble making friends because he doesn't talk much. She'll be happy to hear he's found someone he can interact with."

Emmett chortled. "As long as he doesn't mind being Alice's living toy, I think they'll get along nicely. She's very, uh, authoritative."

Bella smiled. "It seems like he's having fun to me. It's so cool you have monster trucks for Alice to play with, by the way. I hate it when parents refuse to let their kids play with trucks or dolls, or whatever, because it's the 'wrong' gender. As long as it makes them happy, who cares, right?"

Emmett's sheepish expression said it all. "Erm, actually, those are mine. But if Alice likes 'em too, awesome."

Bella laughed, probably thinking he was joking. Unfortunately, he wasn't.

"It's nice to see Jasper having fun with someone his own age. Before I forget, I wanted to thank you for having us over. I know you don't know me very well, so thanks for letting us hang out for the afternoon."

Emmett shrugged. "It's no biggie, really. Edward wanted to have you over and I trust my little brother. It's rare for him to get along with people. I guess he's got that in common with Jasper."

"Gee thanks," I muttered. "I'm right here, and I _can_ hear you, you know."

Emmett slapped me on the back. "What? It's true." He was confused by the irritated "vibes" – his word not mine – he was getting from me. He thought he'd been complimentary.

I sighed, shaking my head. No matter how long I scoured Emmett's mind for an explanation, I'd never understand how it operated.

Bella touched my sleeve. "Hey it's fine, I get what he meant. I'm kind of the same way. I guess you could say it runs in the family. I was kind of a loner in high school. Things have been better in college, since I met Lauren, Angela and Ben."

Emmett grinned. "The two of you are kindred spirits." He nudged me expectantly, as if I should have something to add to that. "Right, E?"

When I didn't say anything, he continued with his stream of consciousness that seemed to exist for the sole purpose of embarrassing me.

"Imagine my shock when Edward comes home with a girl's number, and that twitterpated look on his face. I just knew the two of you would hit it off if we got you guys in a room together with a little privacy," he gushed. "Thank god for Alice, right? If it weren't for her, I don't think he would have ever–"

"Emmett," I warned, purposefully avoiding looking at Bella, not wanting to see her appalled reaction. The slight increase in the tempo of her heartbeat gave away her nervousness with the topic at hand and my heart sank.

I hadn't realized how much I had wanted her to like me – even if it was something as simple as just enjoying spending time with me. And now Emmett had made it sound like I was a hopeless loser, using my niece to entice a girl who would otherwise want nothing to do with me.

I forced down the anger sloshing furiously in the pit of my stomach, my fingers involuntarily curling into fists. I fought against the instinct to punch Emmett. Nothing good could come from violence, as much as it might make me feel better temporarily.

I knew Emmett didn't mean anything by what he was saying, but how could he not see how Bella would interpret his words?

He was too used to obnoxious women who knew what they wanted and had no problem taking it, women to whom subtlety was a foreign art. Bella wasn't like that. She was sweet and funny and _smart_. She was exactly the kind of girl who would read straight through Emmett's stupid rambling and think I was hitting on her. And then she'd feel awkward and cut off contact with me for being a creepy weirdo who used his niece to hit on her.

I cursed myself for thinking I could have a friendship with a human. A human female at that. Everything was stacked against me. It wasn't even Emmett's fault, really. He'd just been the unwitting catalyst to an inevitable chain of events.

When I felt under control enough to unclench my fists, I muttered an excusal and fled up the stairs just slowly enough to pass as human.

I dropped myself onto my bed, not caring that my nails were leaving crescent shaped gashes in the oak frame. It was a better outlet than the alternative.

I could hear Emmett and Bella talking downstairs, his low voice mingling with her softer one, but I tuned them out, not wanting to know what they were saying. When Emmett reached out to me with a silent apology, I shut out his thoughts too, wanting a moment to myself without his intrusions.

After a few minutes and the cathartic destruction of a pillow, I felt ready to venture back downstairs and face the unpleasantness that was sure to be waiting for me following Emmett's confessions.

Before I could, the sound of footsteps – quiet feminine ones, not my brother's obnoxious stomping ones – began to trail up the stairs.

I heard her stop at the top of the landing, probably unsure which way to go. She tried Emmett's door and the bathroom before there was a soft knock on my door. The knob turned tentatively, as if she was worried she was invading my privacy.

Her eyes softened in pity when they landed on me sitting on the edge of my bed, hiding away like the scared, stupid little boy she probably presumed me to be.

I gave her one the best and most sincere smiles in my artillery of fake expressions. She timidly crossed the space and sat next to me on my bed, leaving a careful foot of space between us.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

I shrugged. "Why should you be sorry? You didn't do anything. No one did, really. I guess I was just being sensitive. It's nothing. I'm fine. You can go back downstairs if you want."

She gave me a wry half-grin. "I'm not sure I trust Emmett alone with the kids, so I probably should. But I'm not going until you tell me why you stormed off. I don't buy that fake 'I'm fine' bullshit. Look, I'm the master of that stuff, okay? Bottling it in won't help. I know you don't know me that well, but you can talk to me… if you want."

I sighed, not wanting to have this discussion with her of all people. "I think Emmett made it pretty obvious."

The corner of her pretty mouth curled up further. "I do, too. But I kind of want to hear you say it out loud, just to be sure I'm not kidding myself."

I turned to face her more fully, surprised by her earnestness. "Bella…"

She licked her lips, catching the lower one between her teeth nervously. "I'm not kidding myself, am I?"

Her eyes flicked away from mine, settling on the view out the window – trees, lots of them, dusted with the colours of the very beginning of the sunset.

"Of course I am. Your brother was teasing you and because you reacted, I let myself think…"

"I like you," I blurted, surprising myself. I hadn't realized I'd felt that way until the moment the words unwittingly dropped from my mouth.

Emmett was never going to let me live this down. How the fuck had he realized this before I did? Maybe that was why I'd been so resistant; deep down I knew he was right.

"Exactly," Bella whispered, thinking I was finishing her sentence. "I mean, look at you and look at me. It should have known better. But you were always so sweet to me in class, and when Emmett said what he did… I let myself believe. Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have listened to Angela."

I chuckled at her self-deprecating rambling. Emmett had been right, we really were kindred spirits, in more ways than we had realized. It was eerie how similar we were, when it came down to it.

Bella sniffed, though her wavering voice said she was hurt. "Go ahead and laugh. I guess it is kind of funny."

"It is," I agreed, "but only because when I said that, I wasn't trying to finish your sentence. I – I was telling you how I felt, because I thought you should know."

It took a moment for her to backtrack and realize what I meant. The glowing smile that overtook her face when the penny dropped made me feel warm inside.

"Really?"

I nodded. "You're really cool. Real, you know? Not like the girls who don't care to get to know me. When Emmett opened his big mouth, I thought you'd think I was trying to rope you into something using Alice. I didn't want to you to think I was a jerk."

Bella shook her head. "I don't think that. Alice is adorable, don't get me wrong, but I wanted to hang out with _you_, too. Ask Jasper," she teased, "I was telling him about it every day last week when I drove him to preschool in the morning. We had a countdown going."

She shifted a little closer. Now only a few inches separated us. Her fingers crept over mine in an invitation to twine them together. I did, hoping she didn't think anything of the cool temperature of my skin. The air was warm, so I wasn't freezing, but certainly cold enough to seem out of place.

She didn't bat an eyelash. Instead, her fingers curled around mine, encasing them in soft warmth that felt right.

"We should probably go save the kids from Emmett," she grinned, squeezing my hand. It seemed she was just as incapable of wiping away her silly grin as I was.

"Probably," I agreed.

"Before we do, there's one thing I want to try."

When her eyes fluttered closed, I knew she was going to kiss me.

Panic hit first, washing over me like a splash of cold water. I knew that wasn't right – anticipation, adoration, excitement, delight and any number of things should have been dominant. But they weren't.

I'd never kissed anyone before, human or otherwise, and I was completely out of my element. What if I did it wrong and she hated it? Or worse, what if I hurt her? I'd never been that close to a human, unless Alice counted, and I was pretty sure she didn't. Holding a baby and holding a girl who inspired all sorts of rampant feelings were very different things.

Thank god her blood wasn't especially appetizing. It was sweet and fragrant, but no more so than hundreds of thousands of others.

I forced myself to remain calm and collected, though my logical side screamed at me to do something to stop this. I overruled it; I wasn't going to pull away and hurt her feelings when we'd already gone through enough unnecessary confusion for one day. Besides, I was pretty sure I wanted this. Actually, I knew I did.

The moment Bella's lips touched mine, it felt like I'd been branded. Her heat was searing and so good. I wanted more, as much as she would let me have. I was surprised to find kissing her was almost all instinct – given a little common sense and more than a few stolen thoughts on the matter – it was easy to accommodate the press of her lips, even when they parted beneath mine, begging for something deeper.

My confidence grew as her fingers cupped the back of my neck, brushing through the short hair there. For a moment, I thought maybe this was something I could be good at, until she pulled away. I felt cold and distant again. The fear of rejection was quick to creep back in to replace the warmth.

Bella didn't loosen her arms from around my neck, though. Her eyes shone, reminding me that she had said she wanted this and that she'd been the one to initiate it.

"You're a good kisser," she praised, slightly breathless, "but a girl has got to breathe."

My heart soared at the small compliment and Bella's sparkling eyes as she bestowed it.

"We should probably head back downstairs," I suggested softly, forcing myself to remain collected, though going back and facing Emmett was suddenly far from the top on my list of priorities.

I reminded myself that she had said she wanted to try one thing and that one thing was done. I wasn't going to be greedy, as much as I wanted to be.

She squeezed my hand. "Sure. But later? We're doing that again."

"Tomorrow night?" I proposed optimistically. "Dinner on me?"

She pressed a soft barely-there kiss to my lips.

"It's a deal."

We rejoined Emmett and the kids downstairs, trying to act like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Though we were careful to keep our distance and not let our eyes linger on one another, Emmett knew. Of course he did. He'd been listening the whole time.

His gaze was suspicious, but he was surprisingly discreet. He made no snide remarks, limiting himself to smug looks and raised eyebrows when Bella's back was turned. By the time Bella was packing Jasper up to leave – along with a dozen frosted cupcakes in a Tupperware container – I was about ready to punch him. Again.

Though her eyes said volumes, Bella restrained herself to a kiss on my cheek as she left, cutting her eyes pointedly at Emmett and rolling them when he wasn't looking. I laughed, loving that she understood exactly how I felt. As much as I loved him, Emmett was a pain in the ass.

"Call me," she mouthed behind Emmett's back, doing the universal telephone hand gesture with a silly smile.

"We'll have to do this again," she said aloud when Emmett glanced her way. "The kids had a ton of fun. I know I did."

"I'll bet you did," my brother couldn't help but comment, a salacious grin giving away his not-so-subtle meaning.

Bella laughed it off, though the petal pink crept back up her cheeks.

"Say bye to Alice, Jas," she commented, breezily ignoring Emmett. Jasper ducked his head into her shoulder, suddenly shy, though he briefly peeked out to wave at Alice.

"Bye Japper! Bye!" Alice waved back uninhibitedly from Emmett's arms, though Jasper was too busy hiding again to notice.

"Bye! I'll see you tomorrow, Edward." She gave me a final lingering smile.

When the door was shut and they'd disappeared down the driveway, Emmett turned to me, his innate curiosity roaring in my head.

"Okay, what the fuck – frig, I mean frig, Alice – happened up there? One minute you're pissed at me, the next you're making out? What happened?"

I shrugged, nonchalant. "Sounds like you know what happened."

"Kiz!" Alice interjected proudly. Well. That was a new word in her vocabulary.

Emmett burst into laughter, high-fiving Alice who was happy to recite the word several more times for his praise.

"Thanks for the clarification, Ally," Emmett grinned. He glanced at me. "I'm sure she'll tell Carlisle when he gets home, and then the whole family will know."

I shrugged, too blissed-out on the day's events to care. I turned to head to my room.

"Wait," Emmett stopped me, grimacing. "That's it? You're not going to tell me anything?"

I shook my head, miming zipping my lips.

"Duuude. You're my brother. Isn't bonding over girls like part of the bro code or something? You've finally got a girl to talk about, and you've got nothing?"

"I think you're getting mixed up. Detailed gossip is part of the chick code, not the bro code. And no, I have no intention of sharing anything with you or anyone. As you've already noted, if you want to hear the details of someone's love life, you'd be better off giving Tanya or Irina a call. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to indulge your perverse curiosity. I'd avoid trying to press Kate, if I were you, though. She's been a little feisty when you've pushed too far in the past. Remember the frisbee incident in 1995?"

"So unfair," Emmett moaned. "Just for that, you're changing her diaper this time."

He thrust Alice at me, dropping her into my arms before I could form a retort. I sighed, taking her.

"So you knew I'd kiss Bella, huh?" I asked her as I carted her to the changing table. "You seem to know an awful lot. It'd be nice if you knew how to shut Uncle Emmy up, you know. If you ever figure that one out, promise me I'll be the first one you'll tell, okay?"

She giggled innocently, though I knew better. There was an evil mastermind buried beneath all that cute.


	5. Chapter Five

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Still job hunting… so time is limited, but I'm really loving writing this story, so it's a nice reprieve. To everyone who's reading and reviewing, another round of thank yous. As always you make it worthwhile._

xx

"Kiz!" Alice repeated to Carlisle for the tenth time.

He'd only arrived home from the hospital five minutes ago. Just as Emmett had predicted, Alice had wasted no time spreading the news that I'd kissed Bella. I could have sworn with each refrain she grew more smug. Was it even possible for a baby to be smug?

"How did she learn that word, anyway?" I muttered grumpily, eyeing the baby in Carlisle's arms. "No one said it out loud. We just did it."

I paused, considering my choice of words.

"Shut up," I added before Emmett could twist them into something else.

He closed his mouth, which had been brimming with a retort. "You're no fun. You'd think you'd be in a better mood after making out with Bella."

"We did not make out," I insisted. "It was one kiss." I couldn't help the unconscious smile that drifted to my face. "A great kiss… but still just one."

"Kiz!"

Emmett ruffled Alice's dark hair. "You tell him, Ally. He's in denial, but we know better."

"Leave him alone, Emmett," Carlisle sighed, bouncing the giggling little girl in his arms. "It's been decades since I've seen him this happy. Don't ruin it."

_As long as you're happy, I'm happy,_ he told me, _just remember she's human. Despite what Emmett says, you need to be careful. Intimacy with a human can be precarious. Don't get complacent. Maybe you should give Kate a call? She has a human mate; maybe she has advice?_

Emmett shot him a sullen look. "I'm not ruining anything. I'm celebrating!" He gave Carlisle a sideways grin. "Would you rather we talk about that nurse? I saw the way you looked at her when I showed up at the hospital. You can't deny it."

Carlisle's mind grew flustered, a rarity for him; he was usually the definition of calm and collected. He turned all his attention to Alice whose little stomach was growling.

"We should get her some breakfast. You two haven't fed her since she woke up, have you?"

I shook my head. "She woke up just before you got home. Emmett was in the middle of getting her some cereal."

The sun had just begun its ascent when Alice awoke screaming bloody murder. Emmett and I had rushed into her room, worried she'd hurt herself, only to find all she'd wanted was to be lifted out of her crib. The little terror had transformed into her usual bubbly self the second I'd picked her up.

Emmett picked up the half-filled bowl of cheerios, turning to the fridge to grab the milk.

"You're almost as bad as Edward at this deflection thing," he told Carlisle as he poured a healthy dose of the awful smelling liquid onto Alice's breakfast. "I've been waiting for weeks for you to make a move. Are you telling me you've gotten nowhere?"

Carlisle ignored him and doubled down on the deflection tactic. "So, Edward, tell me more about Bella."

My smile grew at the mention of her, an echo of the fluttering I'd felt when she kissed me rolling through my stomach. Though it was clear Carlisle was only asking to avoid Emmett's teasing, I took pity on him.

"There's really not much to tell. You already know everything important. I'm going out with her tonight. Her aunt's able to watch Jasper, so she's free."

Emmett turned to me with a wounded expression. "You didn't tell me that you scored a date. I have all sorts of brotherly advice to share."

"Hmm, I wonder why he didn't tell you?" Carlisle interjected dryly.

Emmett shot him an affronted look. "My advice is awesome, okay? I know women the way Edward knows pianos. My advice is the stuff legends are made of."

Carlisle patted Emmett on the shoulder with the hand that wasn't holding Alice. "Of course it is," he said complacently. "But I think this might be something Edward needs to figure out on his own."

He took the bowl of cereal from Emmett and settled Alice into her highchair with it, handing her a pink plastic spoon. She banged it on the tabletop, just missing knocking over her bowl.

"I really like her, Em," I told him earnestly. "You're treating this like it's some huge joke, and… just, stop okay?"

As much as Emmett felt he needed to be there as my big brother and wingman, I was capable of doing this without his well-meaning meddling. In fact, I'd probably be better off.

My brother's gaze softened. "Really? You're saying that you think this girl is your mate? Forgive me, bro, but that's kind of fast, isn't it? You barely know her."

I shrugged. "I'm not saying anything. You're right. It's soon. I don't know if she's my mate. Maybe she is, maybe not. There's a possibility, though. I just know I like her a lot. More than anyone I've ever met."

"You know I was just teasing you earlier, right?" Emmett clarified. "I don't give a shit if you hold out 'til you're five-hundred." Serious gold eyes met mine. "Just… you're sure it's _her_ you want?"

I bit my lip, holding back an automatic defensive reaction. I was feeling protective of Bella now that we'd confessed our feelings for one another. I hated the implication that she wasn't good enough for me.

"I'm sure. You were right all along. I like her. Besides, I'm ninety-nine. It's about time I start to think about settling down," I added, hoping to bring back the lighthearted Emmett I was used to.

He clapped me on the back.

"I knew it! I'm never wrong about this stuff. I can spot when two people are horny for one another a mile away. It's a gift."

"I thought your gift was your immense strength," an amused Carlisle countered from his seat next to Alice, as he carefully spooned cereal into her mouth. He had given up on letting her feed herself when she'd tossed the spoon aside and started grabbing handfuls of sticky, milk-dampened cereal, alternately eating them and throwing them over the edge of her highchair.

"That too. But it's mostly my innate ability to spot attraction between a man and woman." His grin was sly. "Speaking of which, does someone have something to share about a certain pretty nurse lady?"

Carlisle groaned. "You're relentless."

"You know it," Emmett agreed, proud of his most irritating quality.

I hid my grin, pleased to be off the hook, even if it was at my brother's expense. I had a feeling Emmett was onto something. Carlisle's thoughts were well-shielded from me. He was hiding something. I just wasn't sure what it was.

"Sounds like Emmett," I nodded. "He's been hounding me since Bella left last night."

Carlisle sighed, taking Alice's empty bowl to the sink.

"There's nothing to tell. The hospital has very strict codes in place for professional practice. Fraternizing with the nurses isn't just frowned upon; it could get me fired. I enjoy my job and would rather not put it at risk."

"Geez, ruin all the fun with talk of getting fired, why don't you?" Emmett pouted.

Carlisle shrugged. "It's the truth. I swear to you, if anything worth sharing happens, you'll be the first to know. But don't count on it. Unlike you, I have a modicum of self-control."

Emmett snorted. "Are you bragging or trying to make me feel sorry for you? 'Cause I'm getting more of the second one."

"Okay," I interrupted, not wanting the conversation to escalate into an argument. "I think we've had enough of Days of Our Lives, vampire edition."

I lifted Alice out of her highchair.

"I'm taking Alice to the park. I was watching Baby Disney with her yesterday and they said you should take your kids out for fresh air and exercise every day. It's overcast so we should be okay if you guys want to come."

The weather was warm and pleasant, despite the lack of sun. The four of us trekked the ten minutes to the nearest park. Living on the edge of the suburbs had its benefits.

I carried Alice, who had been outfitted in a tiny sunhat and jacket, while my brothers each brought an astounding array of baby products they deemed necessary for the trip. Carlisle had a bag with several changes of clothes and everything needed to change a diaper, while Emmett carried half of the contents of our kitchen. Snacks in case Alice got hungry, he explained.

We probably looked ridiculous, wearing hats and long-sleeved shirts, just in case the sun decided to show, loaded down with half the contents of Babies 'R' Us and one tiny girl to use it all.

We did catch a few stares at the park, but not for the reasons I expected.

Apparently spotting fathers out with kids was a rarity, much less seeing three grown men accompanying one child.

Some of the single mothers were very open in their displays of ogling, only barely keeping an eye on their children, while the few fathers present eyed us warily like we were criminals there to snatch away their families when they weren't looking. I supposed, all covered up, we were a little suspicious-looking.

One of the mothers, a woman named Tanya – I snorted at the irony – sidled up to Emmett and introduced herself while he was setting up the picnic blanket.

"Do you have enough to share?" She fluttered her lashes at him and settled on the blanket, fluffing her too-short sundress around her.

Emmett gave her a sleazy grin, all too happy to indulge her flirting.

"The more the merrier. We love kids. Which one's yours?" He nodded toward the playground swarming with children.

"My son's on the swings."

Emmett laughed. "Awesome. I love swings."

"While you two… do whatever you're doing," I managed with barely concealed repulsion; "I'm taking Alice on the playground."

They shot me dirty looks before promptly going back to their transparent flirting.

"I'll come with you," Carlisle offered, eager to escape. "It's clearly a two-person job."

Alice's grey eyes shone, a happy memory of her mother pushing her on a slide fluttering through her mind as we waded through the sandy terrain to the jungle gym.

"Swide!"

"Kids actually enjoy this?" I wondered aloud, as my shoes filled with grey sand. The air was dusty and everything was covered in a layer of dirt. It seemed more like a punishment to me.

"Swide!"

Carlisle laughed. "She seems pretty happy to me. You take her up to the top, I'll stay at the bottom to catch her."

At the top of the slide, I set Alice on her feet. Though she could walk, she preferred not to, we'd learned. Since it was no big deal for us to carry her – never getting tired had its advantages – we usually gave into her demands.

I pointed at the mouth of the slide, crouching beside her. "You want to go down the slide?"

She shook her head, emphatic. "Teddy swide." She pointed at the slide. It was clearly a command.

Unfortunately for her, I'd learned a thing or two from Bella. I wasn't going to give in first this time. I was the adult, damn it.

"Alice slide," I said, pointing at the slide and using my most firm voice.

Her bottom lip wobbled. "No! Teddy swide Awice."

"Oh," I muttered, understanding her dilemma; she didn't want to go down the slide by herself.

She looked up at me with a watery expression. Immediately I knew I was doomed to give in.

I sighed. "Okay, I guess we can go together."

I managed to tuck myself into the narrow entrance. Alice quickly scrambled into my lap, all traces of sadness gone.

"Carl, watch out," I called down to my waiting brother, "I'm coming down. She doesn't want to go by herself."

I pushed off, holding tightly to Alice, who squealed happily as we slid down the cool metal. Her hat flew off halfway down but I managed to catch it.

"'Gain! 'Gain!" she chanted.

Carlisle and I chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"You enjoyed that an awful lot for someone who's too scared to go by herself."

I passed her off to my brother. "Here, your turn. We've got to spread the fun around."

We alternated taking her down the slide. After the twenty-seventh time, we'd finally had enough. Despite her cries of "'gain," we managed to convince her to give the swings a try.

Carlisle gave her a push from the front then ducked under her, reappearing behind her to give her another push.

Her huge gray eyes bounced around trying to find him. She twisted in the seat, giggling when she spotted him standing behind her. I pushed her back down so she didn't accidentally fall out of the harness.

She was amused with that game for about five minutes before she insisted on dragging me into it. "Teddy! Push!"

So I did until she got bored of me, too. We plucked her from the swing, ready for a break, but she was having none of it.

"Swide!"

The girl had a one-track mind.

So the cycle began again, until an hour later, we finally dragged her back to the picnic blanket where Emmett and Imposter Tanya were still lazing. Alice's sunhat had long since been tossed aside, and a hint of red was beginning to blossom along her nose and forehead.

"Did you put sunscreen on her? She looks awfully red," Imposter Tanya asked, glancing at her. "That looks like a nasty one. The UV rays are out there, even when it's overcast, you know," she said, all of the sudden transforming into mother of the year.

"No," I admitted guiltily. We didn't even own sunscreen. It wasn't like we'd expected to need it; we rarely went out in the sun.

"We ran out," Emmett lied. "It's on the shopping list…"

"Oh, well, I'm sure she'll be fine. Just put a little aloe on it and she'll barely feel it."

Imposter Tanya must have taken note of our clueless expressions. "Surely your mother put aloe lotion on you when you were young and got sunburnt?"

It was possible, but if she did, I didn't remember. Emmett had an equally blank look on his face. Carlisle seemed to understand what she was going on about, making a mental note to pick some up from the drugstore.

"Thanks, Tanya, that's a good idea," he offered.

She shrugged. "No big deal. Well, I've got to get going." She gave Emmett a seductive smile. "Call me?"

His return smile seemed to indicate he would. I knew better. The sun would sooner fall from the sky.

Once she was gone, he scrolled through his phone's contacts, deleting her number.

"What was wrong with that one?" Carlisle asked dryly. "Not willing to go far enough in public for your tastes?"

Emmett shrugged, digging in his huge bag for a snack for Alice.

"She was fine. The attention was nice but I'm not really into the human thing. I'll leave that to you two. I need someone who can give as good as they get, not some delicate princess who'll crumble if I touch her the wrong way."

"Your perception of humans is so heartwarming," I muttered wryly.

"You've been good with Alice," Carlisle commented, looking at the little girl who was seated on the blanket, catching grapes tossed by Emmett and stuffing them in her mouth. I had to stop her from trying to eat the ones she didn't catch. Even I knew eating food off the ground wasn't a healthy practice.

"There are things I wouldn't do with Alice that I'd do with–"

"Okay," I threw the handful of grapes I'd acquired at him. "You can stop right there. We do not need to hear this, especially with a little kid present."

He winked. "If you change your mind, I've got plenty of stories."

I ignored him. "We should get back. It's getting kind of late and I need to get ready for my date with Bella."

Loaded down with enough supplies to feed (and diaper) a small army, we headed back home.

As we approached the front porch, I spotted Bella sitting on the stoop, tapping at her phone. We had said we would meet at six. It was barely four. I knew I hadn't mistaken the time.

Her head popped up at the sound of us ambling down the driveway.

"Belwa!" Alice grinned in recognition, reaching out for her, from my arms.

"Hey, sweetie," Bella greeted. "How are you?"

"Swide!"

"Oh, you went on the slide? Did you guys go to the park? That sounds like fun. I wish I had been there. Maybe I'll bring Jasper and we'll go together sometime."

"Japper!" Alice agreed, eager to have her playmate slash slave returned.

"Okay, it's a deal," Bella promised. "Next week, maybe."

She glanced at my brothers loaded down with baby gear, her lips quirking in amusement.

"You brought that much stuff for a trip to the park?"

"Hey, we used most of it," Emmett defended, though that was a blatant lie.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, sitting next to her and squeezing her hand. I wasn't quite brave enough to kiss her. "We said six, right?"

"Sorry. I'm early, I know. My aunt got off work earlier than we expected so I thought maybe we could go see a movie or something. I called to let you know I was coming, but you didn't answer. You said you'd be hanging out at home, so I didn't think it would matter."

I shrugged. "We were planning on staying in, but it was a nice day, so we decided to get some fresh air. Have you been waiting long?"

"Ten minutes, maybe? I was reading." She held up her phone with a smile. "You can get anything in PDF these days."

"Jane Eyre?" I guessed, remembering she had mentioned it was her favourite book on the first day of class, when our TA insisted on playing insipid get-to-know-one-another games.

"I can't believe you remembered that, but no." She gave me a cheeky smile. "I'll tell you at dinner."

"Give me ten minutes to get changed and we can go."

"Sure. I'll hang out with your brothers and Alice. I'm sure Emmett will keep us all entertained."

"You say that like it's a good thing."

I pried Alice's little fingers from the buttons on my shirt, which she was studying with curious fascination and handed her to Carlisle.

"Oh, this is my brother, Carlisle, by the way," I introduced. "He's the oldest. Carlisle, this is Bella."

He nodded politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Edward's had nothing but lovely things to say about you."

I squeezed her hand one last time and left them to their pleasantries. With Carlisle there to act as a buffer, Emmett couldn't do too much damage. Hopefully.

I scanned the contents of my closet, unsure what would be considered suitable for a first date, having never been on one before. I decided it was safest to match Bella's semi-casual attire. She'd been dressed in a pretty blue sundress that was sweet and feminine. It was the first time I'd seen her in a skirt.

Though it had only been minutes, by the time I got back downstairs, Emmett had fired up his laptop and was in the midst of a slideshow of my childhood pictures. A few years ago, he'd had them scanned and completely restored. If one didn't know better, they looked like they had been taken only years ago, rather than decades. Carlisle was, of course, mysteriously absent from all of them, but Bella didn't seem to notice.

"We've not even gone on a first date and she's seen me sitting in a bucket naked," I complained to my brother.

"Relax," he soothed. "Mom isn't around to embarrass you anymore, so it's my duty. I just wanted Bella to know what she was getting into with you."

Bella chuckled. "All he's done is reinforce my opinion that you're adorable."

I ushered her to the garage. "Come on. Let's go before he accidentally stumbles upon some home videos or something."

"Where are we going?" Bella wondered once she was safely strapped into my Volvo and we were cruising toward downtown Seattle.

I glanced at her in the passenger seat, unable to help the hint of a smile. "I guess you'll have to wait and see."

She bit her lip, giving me an adorable side-eye. "So it's like that, is it? If we're going to see a movie, I call choosing it."

"Bella," I chastised, "going to the movies is such a predictable first date. Do I seem predictable to you?"

She glanced at me, a trace of a pout remaining. "I suppose not. You're really not going to tell me?"

I shook my head, enjoying her torment. "Nope. You'll just have to wait."

Half an hour later, her eyes lit up in recognition as we pulled up to the waterfront. It was late afternoon, so finding metered parking a short walk from our destination was easy.

"We're going to the aquarium?" she grinned, her eyes alight. "That's awesome. You know, when I was ten, I wanted to be a marine biologist. Until I discovered that there was more to it than hanging out with dolphins all day… my heart was broken."

I laughed. "When I was little I wanted to be a lawyer like my dad. Turns out that's more Emmett's thing than mine. He's got a knack for law and policy stuff. If he had a more effective verbal filter, he'd probably make a good politician."

"So how'd you end up in music, then?" she asked as we exited the car and headed for the entrance.

When her arm brushed against mine, I threaded my fingers through hers, hoping she didn't mind. She squeezed my hand in response.

"My mom," I admitted. "She always encouraged me to indulge my creative side. She's the one who taught me to play. She could have been a concert pianist if she hadn't married my dad."

"Why not both? I mean, in this day and age, can't women have a career and a family?"

I shrugged, unable to explain that it hadn't been in this day and age. I had a feeling that even if she'd had a choice, my mother would have given up her career for us.

"I guess time with us was more important to her. It's hard to make a career in music without leaving your family to tour. She always put us first."

This late in the day, the line to get into the aquarium was nonexistent. I paid for our tickets and led Bella inside. The clerk warned us we'd made it just in time for last entrance and that we had a little more than an hour until closing.

We wandered around, taking in the brightly coloured marine life. I was relieved the fish didn't shy away thanks to the thick layers of glass between them and me. It would be difficult to explain why all the fish were cowering on the opposite side of their tanks.

Bella placed her hand on the glass, giggling when a tropical orange fish nudged against the glass, trying to reach her hand. It made several attempts, bonking into the clear barrier.

"I guess he's new," she chuckled. "The fish are usually oblivious to people. They just keep swimming, swimming, ignoring everyone."

I shrugged, smiling. "Maybe he really liked you."

After several exhibits, Bella turned to me, her eyes bright and child-like. "We've got to feed the dolphins!"

I could see the resurgence of ten-year-old Bella, the one who wanted to be a marine biologist to play with the dolphins, in her hopeful gaze. Unable to deny her, I let her drag me to the dolphin pool.

After a short lesson about safety with a handful of others, we were each given a small bucket with a couple fish.

Without a wall between the dolphins and me, they were much more wary than the fish barricaded in their tanks. They freely swam up to others in our feeding group, but ignored me and Bella.

One brave dolphin mustered the courage to swim up to Bella, who was waiting patiently for a dolphin to take notice of her fish. She grinned in delight when the dolphin let her pet her slick gray skin.

"Come on, Edward!" she encouraged from her spot at the water's edge. "You aren't scared are you?"

I shook my head, amused. I didn't want to ruin the experience for her by getting too close and scaring the dolphin away, but she grabbed my hand, forcing me to kneel at the waterside with her.

To my surprise, the dolphin's dark eyes settled on me, no hint of fear in them. She nudged the plastic container I was holding. She could smell the fish and was still hungry.

I fed them to her, surprised to find she even let me stroke her wet nose. I hadn't been that close to an animal that hadn't been dinner in decades.

The trainer hovering in the background squatted next to us.

"That's Jessica," she informed us with a note of surprise. "She doesn't usually like to be fed by anyone other than the trainers. She must like you."

Bella chuckled. "I think she likes Edward more than me." She watched the dolphin still nuzzling my hand.

"That was amazing," Bella commented later as we strolled down the street in search of a place to eat near the waterfront. The sun was setting on the ocean behind us.

We'd already passed several seafood restaurants, but Bella had insisted it would be tasteless to eat seafood after visiting the aquarium. I could see her point, not that I planned to eat anything.

"It was fun," I agreed. "Now, I'll have to make sure I come up with something even better for our second date."

Bella turned to me, her expression unreadable. "Our second date?"

"If you want," I offered, not wanting her to feel like she was obligated because I was a presumptuous idiot.

She stopped us in the middle of the street to reach up and place a kiss on my cheek.

"I'd like that. This is the best first date I've had in ages."

Eventually we settled on a tiny Indian place tucked between two larger seafood restaurants. It was owned by a sweet south Indian couple who were clearly in the business for their passion for food and little else. The earthy spices of Indian cuisine were more tolerable than most human food and I found I almost enjoyed the aromas wafting about.

Bella looked at me oddly when I refused to order a dish of my own but I stood my ground. It was too early to tell her about my special dietary needs. I didn't want to lie, but I would have to build her trust before I could even consider telling the truth.

Kate's relationship with Garrett gave me hope that having a human mate wasn't impossible. They'd been together for over five years and they weren't shy about letting everyone know they were happy and compatible. She had centuries' worth of practice being close to human men, though, whereas my experience was pitifully nonexistent.

I knew I'd tell Bella eventually. I had no intention of changing her without her permission, like so many of our kind did. I'd just hope like hell our story came with a happy ending like Kate and Garrett's had. Until then, I'd do everything in my power to prove to her that I was someone she could trust. That meant getting to know her a little better before I dropped any bombshells.

"You must be starving," she insisted, glancing at me with doubtful brown eyes. "You were running around the park with Alice all day."

"You saw the size of the cooler that Emmett was carrying, right?" I teased. "I'm still full, but you go ahead."

She looked at me doubtfully. "Your loss." She gave me a cheeky smile and dug into her pile of saffron rice, exaggerating her enjoyment of it.

"I see what you're doing," I chuckled.

She giggled, her eyes too-innocent. "What. No! This is really great. Authentic Indian food is the best. I'm a total ethnic food junkie."

I laughed, happy she was enjoying herself. "I'm glad we found it, then."

"Me too," she told me, swallowing a mouthful of coke to wash down the rice. Her hand crept across the table to cover mine.

As the evening progressed, I found myself becoming more and more smitten with Bella Swan. I laughed a lot, smiled more, and found myself wondering if I'd ever felt so at ease in another person's presence in my life.

She didn't make me feel wary or uncomfortable and she seemed to accept me for who I was. If she recognized anything strange about me, she never made me feel insecure about it. Something about her easygoing demeanor was disarming. So much so that, midway through the meal, I found myself blurting out truths I hadn't intended to.

"Emmett isn't really Alice's father," I admitted, peering into her eyes, which had met mine with curiosity when I said that I had a confession.

They held no traces of judgment, but I rushed to explain myself anyway. I was probably speaking too fast, but I couldn't help myself.

"She's not my niece at all. I'm sorry I told you that she was, but the truth is kind of complicated and when I ran into you at the grocery store I never thought we'd end up here."

I paused to take a breath, forcing myself to remain calm. "The truth is… Alice was left on our doorstep just under two weeks ago. The day I met you in the store, actually. I know that sounds crazy, like the plot to some horrible movie, but, well, it happened. We've sort of adopted her. Her mother committed suicide and she has no other family, so Carlisle felt that we–"

To my astonishment, Bella burst into laughter.

"You're laughing?" I asked, unsure what she found so funny. I had been certain she would be upset I'd lied to her.

She wiped away a tear. "I'm sorry, but I had my suspicions something was up. I mean, I saw Emmett changing Alice's diaper, and well, let's just say he seemed very out of practice for someone with an almost two-year-old. And she called him 'Emmy.' I figured he didn't see her much because a sour custody agreement or something. But now I get it."

"You're not mad?"

She shook her head. "No. I can see how that would be a complicated story to explain to someone you bumped into. Thank you for telling me the truth, though. I'm glad you did. And can I say I think it's amazing what you guys are doing? It's obvious how much she loves you already. That you've stepped in and taken responsibility for her… well it's not something just anyone would do."

With that confession, others flowed easily. I told her about my parents' accident and in turn, she shared her story with me. Her mother hadn't been taken away by a car accident; though it has been something just as devastating: cancer.

"She was diagnosed in February and gone by the end of April," she explained with glassy eyes. "And I never knew my father, so that was it; I was an orphan at sixteen."

"Did you ever try to find him?" I wondered.

She chewed her lip. "No. I guess I could have. I know his name and that he lives in a small town called Forks. But he doesn't know I exist and I didn't want to uproot his life."

She smiled, nostalgia in her tone. "My mom was kind of wild. Before she had me, she was a bit of a wanderer, pausing in towns here and there whenever she felt the need to stop, until it was time to move on again. She found out she was pregnant after she left Forks and thought my father was better off not knowing. She had Nana and Esme to help raise me."

"Your aunt?"

Bella nodded. "They were really close. You know those sitcom families that spend so much time together it seems unreal? Well that was what it was like for me, growing up. Aunt Esme was always like a second mother to me, even before my mom passed away. She was way younger than my mom, but they understood one another."

"You're lucky you had her."

Bella turned her wistful gaze to the tablecloth. "I am. She's been my aunt, my mother and my sister. She was desperate to have kids of her own, but her husband refused to even consider it. I think that broke her heart a little. She poured all her love into me when I was growing up. The funny thing is, Jasper was a complete accident. Aunt Esme was ecstatic when she found out. Her husband, not so much. He said kids were a deal-breaker for him and he was out the door before her second trimester."

"Maybe that was a good thing?" I suggested quietly. "I don't mean to imply that it's great Jasper's father abandoned him… just that he and Esme deserved better. If he wasn't going to be there for them, they're better off without him."

Bella cracked a smile. "You're absolutely right. Aunt Esme deserves someone who loves her. I hated Stefan. He was an asshole. He thought just because he was an army sergeant he could treat her like one of his underlings to be kept in line."

I chuckled at the way Bella spat out his name, her voice pure venom.

"You're really protective of her."

She met my gaze with her fierce one and nodded emphatically. "Damn right. She's only ten years older than me. We look out for one another. Like Emmett and Carlisle look out for you."

"What do you mean?"

She grinned. "You missed the interrogation before the slideshow of your baby pictures. They grilled me on my intentions. They were very concerned. It was really sweet, actually."

I groaned, cursing myself for being too preoccupied in my closet to bother surveying what they were up to. I should have known better.

"They didn't ask anything embarrassing, did they? They didn't scare you off?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" She squeezed my hand reassuringly. "They saved all the embarrassment for you and your naked baby pictures."

I glanced into her teasing face. "I'm not going to live that down for a while, am I?"

Her eyes lit with humour. "Probably not."

All traces of embarrassment vanished by the time we pulled into my driveway. Our solemn dinner conversation had morphed into light banter, though we never ran out of things to talk about. It was only when we stood facing one another in my driveway that silence descended.

We stood in the space between my car and hers, each of us nervously jangling our keys. We'd already done the first kiss thing, but somehow this seemed more significant, like it was sealing the beginning of a relationship, or something equally important.

"So…" she said, twisting a keychain with her initials engraved on it. "I guess I'll see you soon." She glanced up at me through dark lashes.

"You will," I agreed, letting my eyes linger on her. Even shivering in the cooling spring air, she was beautiful. "I'll call you."

She smiled. "I believe you. Some guys only say that when they have no intention of calling. You're not one of them."

"No, I'm not," I confirmed, placing my hands on her waist.

She leaned into me, wrapping her arms around me. Her hands found the small of my back and her warm cheek pressed against my chest. She lingered far too long for it to be friendly, so I drummed up the nerve to tilt her face up to mine.

She responded enthusiastically, so I let myself sink into the glorious feeling of her lips on mine. Impossible though it might have seemed after one kiss, I'd missed her sweet taste.

"Goodnight," she sighed when we parted, her eyes glinting as she reached behind her for her car door.

A good night, indeed.


	6. Chapter Six

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_What's this?A new chapter and it hasn't even been a week? Yup, you're seeing right. I'm really feeling this story right now – who knew writing without an outline was so freeing? Thank you to everyone for your lovely comments, clearly you're keeping me well inspired :)_

xx

In the weeks following our date at the aquarium, Bella became a constant fixture in my life. Whether it was hours of back and forth texts or afternoons spent with our families hovering in the background, there wasn't a day that went by that I didn't talk to her in some form or another.

The days I didn't see her beautiful brown eyes became ones I dreaded. It was amazing how swiftly she had integrated herself and Jasper into my life. Taking the kids out on play dates, or "double dates" as Emmett jokingly referred to them, were one of my favourite ways to spend a free day.

She had endless knowledge about raising children to share, dropping suggestions with a calm smile that made me feel anything but defensive.

"I love that I can bring Jasper when I'm with you and not feel like I'm ruining our time together," she confessed one afternoon, when we were lounging on the grass at the park near my house, Jasper and Alice tossing a ball back and forth at our feet.

She cuddled into my side, raising her lips to mine and pressing a sweet, chaste kiss to them.

Kisses had become more frequent, to the point where a casual kiss in public was nothing out of the ordinary. We had yet to broach anything more, something I was fine with. It made acclimating to her nearness easier.

I swept her hair behind her ear. "I'm glad you feel comfortable with me. I never want you to feel like there's something you need to keep from me."

I was very aware of my hypocrisy. I had yet to let her in on one very key part of my existence. The more comfortable we grew around one another, the more I grew certain I was ready to tell her I was a vampire.

As Carlisle had suggested I do, I called Kate to discuss her relationship with Garrett and how she'd handled broaching the delicate subject with him. I spilled the entire story of my courtship with Bella while she listened patiently.

Instead of the support I'd been expecting, she echoed my brother's doubts.

"You have to be absolutely certain that she's the one, Edward. You don't get a do-over with this."

"I know. I understand how serious this is." I forced my voice to remain calm, knowing she wasn't trying to offend me.

"Do you?" Her tone was solemn. "It's not just about Bella's reaction. The Volturi don't give second chances. You better be damn sure she's the girl for you. If you're not, you're putting her life on the line. That's a pretty big risk to take."

"But the Volturi have laws," I countered. "Human mates are protected under the same laws vampires are. They can't touch Bella if she's my mate. As long as she doesn't tell anyone else, there's nothing they can do to her."

"That would be true if she was your _mate_," Kate emphasized. "She isn't yet, no matter how much you might care for her. She won't fall under Volturi protection until the two of you have consummated your relationship."

I frowned. I hadn't realized that there were conditions. "Did you and Garrett sleep together before you told him?"

"Yes," Kate admitted, a hint of shame in her tone. "You know how I used to be. I didn't expect Garrett to change a thing. He was supposed to be just as forgettable as all the rest of them. I'm lucky he was determined to make me see how much I needed him."

"Then maybe _you_ wouldn't understand," I commented petulantly, trying and failing not to sound like a pouting three-year-old. "You knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be safe from the Volturi before you told him anything."

Kate's breathy chuckle surged down the line. "Oh, I understand. Do you think the fact he was considered my mate by the Volturi made any difference? He could have decided being with a vampire wasn't worth the risk. Whether he was safe from the Volturi was the least of my concerns. If he had chosen to leave me, I would have been broken. He's the other half of my soul."

"But he didn't. The two of you are together and everything worked out for the best."

"You make it sound like it was all smooth sailing. I didn't see Garrett for 36 hours, 23 minutes and 7 seconds after I told him," Kate explained. "It was excruciating, letting him have time and distance, not knowing what conclusion he would settle on. If he'd left…" she trailed off. I could hear her emotional torment as she recalled her forced separation from her mate.

"Why don't you change him, then?" I wondered. "He's human. He won't live forever. You'll have to let him go eventually."

Kate snorted. "I love him. He's not my property. I won't change him just because it suits me. One day I'll change him. But it won't be until he gives me his permission."

She asked me to hold on. Garbled voices I couldn't make out through the weak microphone followed.

"Garrett wants to talk to you," Kate explained when she returned to the line.

"Hey Edward." Garrett's deep voice sounded rough after his mate's glass-smooth soprano. "Kate says you're thinkin' about telling your girl you're a vampire."

"Yes," I admitted, a little disgruntled that Kate was bringing more people into our private conversation, but willing to admit that Garrett had a unique point of view to offer. "I'm thinking about it. Not now, but soon. I hate lying to her. She's so sweet and perfect. I don't want to be the asshole who's keeping secrets from her."

Garrett's deep chuckle rumbled down the line. "Well, here's my advice: don't tell her. Wait until she asks. And she will. Despite what your lot seem to think, we humans aren't dumb. We just need a little more time to come to our own conclusions."

"But won't she be upset that I lied to her?"

Everything I'd learned about females thus far led me to believe lying was second only to cheating on a list of the worst possible things a man could do to them.

"Probably," Garrett agreed. "It's a small price to pay. Scaring your girl away because she believes you're a crazy psychopath will be a lot harder to recover from. If you let her figure out you're different on her own time, she'll be more open to listening to your side of the story."

"That makes sense," I had to admit.

I could hear Garrett's smile. "That's 'cause I speak from experience. I'd been with Kate for a week, officially, when she told me. I thought she'd lost her marbles. If she'd waited a little while, I like to think, sooner or later, I would have questioned some of her stranger habits. The truth would've been a lot easier to swallow if I'd had a clue."

"Thanks, Garrett, I'll keep that in mind."

"No problem, kid."

I suppressed a laugh at the endearment; I was easily three times his age.

"Kate and Rini just want to see you boys happy," he continued. "Kate's always talkin' my ear off about how she wishes the three of you'd settle down. She thinks the lot of you are 'closed off to the possibility of love.'"

I chuckled at his mimicry of words Kate must have repeated often.

"What about Tanya?" I questioned wryly, noting he hadn't included her in his statement.

Garrett snorted. "Her, too. She wants you to be happy. She's just a little more stubborn, is all. She doesn't take rejection so well. If I had to guess… you're the first man to reject her in nine hundred years."

"She had a thing with Emmett," I countered, feeling the need to defend my choice. "It would have been weird. And I don't do casual sex. That's not who I am."

"I know that. That's why I'm telling you to hold off telling this Bella girl. You must really care about her to go through all the trouble. Good luck, alright? I'm rooting for you."

I had taken Garrett's advice to heart. With his words in mind, it was a lot easier to hold back from spilling everything. As Garrett had pointed out, Bella wasn't dumb. To the contrary, she was as brilliant as anyone I'd ever known. She'd come to her own conclusions eventually. I would just have to be patient.

"Edward?" Bella called to me, snapping me out of my recollection. She stood over a frying pan in the kitchen, glancing at me warily. I gave her a reassuring smile, which she returned.

I was proud to say our kitchen now looked like it actually belonged to an actual family. Long gone were the bare cupboards. The pantry was overflowing with enough ingredients to keep Alice fed into her teens.

The scent of cinnamon and frying eggs wafted around us as I swept up behind Bella, wrapping her in an embrace. She had cooked up a plate of French toast that was stacked almost as tall as her.

I glanced at the two tiny people who were supposed to finish that plate. Jasper listened patiently while Alice regaled him with a story of a dog she and Emmett had encountered the previous day in her stilted but enthusiastic language.

There was no way the two of them would be able to finish the enormous pile of French toast that Bella had cooked.

Bella's cheeks were pink from the heat of the kitchen and the exertion of flitting around the kitchen as she cooked. She turned proud, smiling eyes to mine.

"I made us lunch. Alice and Jasper were getting hungry, so I thought we could take a break. Emmett's supposed to be home soon, right?" She gestured to the stack. "I made tons. I figured Emmett's the kind of guy who likes seconds and probably thirds and fourths."

"That's great, sweetheart," I praised, my stomach dropping at the thought of having to eat the gooey, eggy mess humans considered edible.

I didn't want to hurt her feelings by refusing. So far I'd been lucky enough to avoid eating in front of her. I had a sinking feeling this time I wasn't going to be able to bow out.

At least it seemed Emmett would be stuck in the same boat. There was no way my girlfriend would buy that my brother wasn't hungry. He was bigger than most linebackers. It wasn't difficult to imagine the kind of appetite that came with a frame like his.

She shrugged, bashful. "Emmett's always cooking for me and Jasper. I just wanted to return the favour."

I held back my amusement, imagining how well Bella's appreciation would go over with my brother.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, kissing her cheek. "That's very thoughtful. I'm sure he'll be delighted."

"Delighted enough to make his chocolate cupcakes again?" Bella joked, twisting in my arms to kiss me. "They were to die for. Fair warning, if I leave you for your brother, it's for the cupcakes."

I met her sparkling eyes with serious ones. "Don't even joke."

She smiled at me coyly, combing her fingers through my hair. "Emmett's not really my type. You, on the other hand…"

"Good," I murmured into her ear, kissing it.

I tugged at the knot on the apron she was wearing. _Get your hands off my buns_ was emblazoned on it with a picture of a hamburger. It belonged to Emmett, so it was huge on her. She looked adorable with the strings wrapped around her slim frame multiple times so the ends didn't drag on the floor.

"This is the part where you're supposed to kiss me and tell me how I'm perfect for you, too," she sighed with false exasperation, pulling the apron over her head and tossing it at me.

"You are. But Alice and Jasper are getting cranky waiting for lunch and I didn't want to be the reason for the hold up," I teased.

While she busied herself cutting up pieces of French toast smothered in syrup for the kids, I whipped out my phone to let my brother know what was waiting for him when he got home.

_There's a mountain of food waiting when you get here_, I texted.

His reply came through almost immediately.

_You wanna head to the rockies for dinner? It's a little far, but I'm down if you're craving something. Is C home to watch Ally?_

I chuckled at his misinterpretation. He would think I was talking about actual mountains.

_A metaphorical mountain. Bella's cooked a plate of French toast roughly the size of one. She wanted to say thank you to you for all the cooking you do._

_Fuck. Do you think she'll notice if I don't come home?_

_I'd say so. If she doesn't, I will. If you leave me to eat them all by myself, you'll be lucky if I ever talk to you again._

_Nothing new. You're a pro at the cold shoulder. I'm used to it._

_Shut up and hurry home, your food's getting cold._

_Chill. I'm pulling onto our street now. I can't believe the things I do for you…_

I listened and, sure enough, I could make out the crunch of tires on asphalt as Emmett's Jeep rolled down our driveway.

A few long minutes later, he walked in the door looking like a man on death row. Bella leapt up at the sound of his entrance, returning to the kitchen dragging my reluctant brother behind her.

He flopped glumly into the seat opposite me while Bella served up our food. She set a plate in front of each of us with a proud flourish.

"They're my specialty," she proclaimed, her expression bright. "I'm not the best cook, but I can do breakfast pretty damn well, if I do say so myself."

Emmett gave her a wan smile. "Thanks, Bella. It's really nice of you to do this… for us."

She hovered over us, hope in her eyes as she waited for us to try her creation. Emmett met my gaze and we both tentatively tasted a piece of the sugary concoction. I couldn't help my grimace at the sickly sweetness of melted sugar. Emmett didn't fare much better.

Bella's face fell. "You hate it."

We both adamantly denied it, shoveling in a couple more bites in a poor effort to refute her claim.

Bella sighed. "You don't have to pretend. If you hate it, just say so."

"Alice and Jasper really love them," I pointed out, evading the question. I gestured to the kids' empty plates and sticky fingers.

"More!" Alice demanded with a syrupy smile. I made a mental reminder to reward her for her cooperation later.

"See?"

Bella's lips twisted into a bittersweet smile, though I could tell she was hurt. "I guess."

I felt awful, knowing there was nothing she could have done. As far as we knew, she might have fed us the world's greatest iteration of French toast.

She sat down, pushing her food around her plate. I scooted my chair closer to hers, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into my embrace.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you guys, you know? I thought…" she trailed off, spearing a piece of French toast fiercely. "Never mind."

"It _was_ nice, Bella," Emmett countered, looking as guilty as I felt. "Really. It's us, not your cooking. Trust me. We're not big fans of French toast, that's all. I'm sure it's actually really great."

Bella forked a piece of hers with a sigh. "It's okay, I guess," she shrugged, though I knew her opinion had been tainted by our less than favourable reception.

She cast her fork aside when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get that," she said softly, shoving her plate away.

I let her go, knowing she needed a moment to herself, though I couldn't help but check to see who was at the door. It was rare that we got door-to-door salespeople this far out. Even rarer were visitors. Tanya, Irina, Kate and Garrett were the only people we knew who were a regular part of our lives.

It was a blonde woman I'd never seen before, though I couldn't discern much more from the distorted reflection she was looking at in our brass door-knocker. Her thoughts were entirely focused on perfecting her flyaway hairs and how much she hated looking less than put together. There was something about the sharp quality of her mind that screamed vampire, so I followed Bella to the door.

"Hi," Bella greeted the woman with a forced smile. "How can I help you?"

The woman flipped her long blonde hair over a pale sculpted shoulder, her golden eyes appraising Bella.

"Hi." Her voice was somehow sharp and velvety at the same time. "I'm Rosalie."

"Hi," Bella repeated timidly. "Is there something I can–"

Rosalie's gaze swept past Bella, landing on me. "You must be Edward," she said, ignoring Bella as she brushed past her into the house. "I'm a friend of Tanya's. I assume Emmett and Carlisle live here, also?"

"Yes," I said, mirroring her glacial tone. I pulled Bella into my side. I didn't care for the way this woman had icily cast my girlfriend aside like she was unworthy of her attention.

Rosalie ran a finger down my arm. I fought the urge to cringe.

"Tanya was right, you're not so bad to look at. Pity you play so hard to get. We could have had some fun. But I see you've made your choice already." Her eyes lingered on Bella. "An interesting choice, I must say."

_A human mate. Don't see those too often. I wonder if that's Kate's influence._

Bella's eyes narrowed. She thrust her hand out to Rosalie. "I'm Edward's girlfriend, Bella. How did you say you knew Edward?"

Rosalie bowed her head, a slight smile gracing her ethereal features.

_So the little human isn't as fragile as she looks. Very nice. I bet she's a firecracker in bed. No wonder he looks at her like that…_

"I'm an old friend of Edward's cousin Tanya. We go way back. I was getting a little bored of Alaska, so she suggested I come visit the boys for a change of scenery."

I tightened my arm around Bella, who melted into me, partly to stake her claim, I was sure.

"Tanya's never mentioned you before," I told the blonde.

Rosalie shrugged. "I'm very… nomadic. Staying in one place isn't my thing. I like to travel, see what's out there. I just drop by Denali every once in a while."

Emmett who had come to investigate the new voice, stopped short at the sight of the blonde goddess occupying our foyer. He seemed to be in danger of dropping the kids who he'd brought with him, one in each arm.

Rosalie's sharp gold eyes fixed on him. She appraised him in a way that made me feel like I was intruding upon something intimate. If she was surprised he was holding two human babies, she hid it well.

"You're Emmett."

"The one and only." He sounded flustered.

It was a strange thing to behold. My confident older brother was always the one who had women eating out of the palm of his hand. Somehow this one had turned the tables. She managed to make him look like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

His wide eyes flashed to me.

_Holy shit. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? She's smokin'. You don't see that kind of hot every day. I call dibs._

I smirked, letting my eye roll inform him that I wasn't interested. I had Bella. Did he really think I was going to fall over myself just because a pretty girl crossed my line of sight?

"Cute kids," Rosalie said, delicately stroking Alice's small hand. It was a strangely maternal reaction, coming from the frosty blonde.

"Yup," Emmett boasted. "Alice is ours. Jasper's Bella's cousin. We've got a playdate situation going on. With Edward and Bella always hanging all over one another, it's convenient, you know?"

Rosalie glanced at me then Bella, her expression and her thoughts unreadable.

"How sweet."

Bella's cheeks heated to a light pink.

"Wose, "Alice called out, grabbing Rosalie's hand. A grin lit her gray eyes.

Jasper was much less obliging. He buried his face in Emmett's shirt, wary, as always, of a new face. He was just beginning to accept me, Emmett and Carlisle as people he could trust.

Rosalie's eyes widened. "Did she just call me Rose?"

Emmett shrugged. "She's in a phase where she picks up words fast, you know? She must have heard you say it."

"But no one–"

Emmett cleared his throat loudly. "So, Rose… to what do we owe this pleasure? I thought I heard something about Tanya?"

Rosalie smirked. "You thought you heard? If you didn't hear me from the next room, there must be something seriously wrong with your hearing."

Emmett's eyes hardened. "Why would I be able to hear you from all the way over there? I'm not superhuman."

Rosalie's gaze settled on a perplexed Bella.

_So they haven't told the human. Very interesting. I guess I can play along. No harm, no foul. I wonder what the hold up is? She's clearly fucking the skinny one._

"Sorry. My mistake," she said, her voice saccharine. "I was just telling Edward and Bella that Tanya and I go way back. She suggested I come stay with you guys while I'm in town. I'm gonna be hanging around a while and I need a place to crash. I can find a hotel if it's an inconvenience. I wouldn't want to intrude."

Emmett's eyes gleamed, plans involving lots of things I didn't want to think about forming in his head.

"It's fine. We've got plenty of room. We'd never turn down a friend of Tanya's."

I'd just kissed Bella goodbye and sent her home with Jasper when Rosalie snuck up behind me.

I'd heard her skulking on the stairwell just out of sight, but had tuned her out, assuming she was curious about my unconventional relationship with Bella.

"So, a human mate?" she wondered as she slinked down the steps and leaned against the banister, her arms crossed. "I must say I find it very interesting that you haven't told her you're a vampire."

I hadn't yet grasped whether the icy exterior was genuine or not. I had a feeling she was a lot more vulnerable than she let on.

"Human mates are rare," she continued. "Ones who don't know what they've gotten themselves into even more so. Aside from Kate and Garrett, I can't think of any other vampire-human pairs that exist at the moment."

I shrugged. "Humans are people, too. Bella being human has no bearing on how I feel about her. If she was a vampire, I'd feel the same way."

Rosalie smirked. "Vampires with human mates change them eventually. Humans are fragile. Most vampires don't have the willpower to deny themselves their mate."

"I've never drank a drop of human blood," I said, purposefully misinterpreting her. "She's safe with me."

I didn't want to talk about my relationship with Bella. It felt too personal to discuss with a near stranger. If Rosalie assumed Bella was already my mate, I wasn't going to correct her.

"Me neither." She gave me a cat-like grin. "I've heard it's difficult to resist their blood when you get in the habit and human men can be so very entertaining."

"I can see why you're friends with Tanya," I snorted. "You'll get on well with Emmett. You're male and female sides of the same coin. Well, except for the human part, I suppose."

Rosalie's lip curled into an attractive smirk, her voice lowering. "Are we? How nice. It's been a while since I've taken a vampire to bed. I could use a change of pace."

I dropped my own voice low enough that Emmett wouldn't hear. He wasn't paying attention to us at the moment; he was busy trying to get Alice to sleep. I didn't want to take the risk of him hearing, but I wanted Rosalie to understand what would happen if she pursued my brother. I wasn't in the mood to deal with her throwing a tantrum because he wasn't what she expected him to be.

"If you're looking for casual sex, Emmett's wide open. Just leave all your expectations at the door or you'll end up disappointed."

"I hope I'll have _some_ of my expectations met," she snarked, her eyes alight with humour. "I have needs, you know."

I shrugged. "Just don't expect him to settle down with you. My brother has been a lot of things, but being someone's boyfriend has never been one of them."

"Perfect," she said without a hint of sarcasm. "I don't do commitment. I'll leave that to you and your Bella." She paused for a pregnant moment, her smirk growing. "Speaking of which… the sooner you bang her, the better. It'll make you feel better, trust me."

I glanced at her, surprised. Hadn't she been thinking about how Bella and I were probably wild in bed earlier? And what about the numerous allusions to Bella being my mate? Now she suddenly knew we'd never been intimate before? What was her game?

Rosalie glanced at me smugly. "Yeah, I know, you're wondering how I knew? I know lots of things. Did you spy on me and get the wrong impression? You shouldn't listen to people's thoughts, Edward, it's rude."

With that, she turned on her heel, skipping up the stairs.


	7. Chapter Seven

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

_**Summary:**__Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Fair warning, this chapter we get a little more rated R. Nothing too out there, but a leap up from anything we've seen from these two so far. Hope it's as good for you as it is for them ;)_

xx

"Rosalie and Emmett seem to have hit it off," Bella observed.

We were cuddled on the couch at her house, the TV on in the background, though neither of us was paying much attention to it. We were absorbed in one another, enjoying the rare opportunity to be alone together.

Esme had dropped Jasper off at preschool on her way to work, and Carlisle was at home with Alice for his single day off this week. Even Emmett was off doing something, probably with Rosalie.

"I don't know. Rosalie told me in so many words that she's not looking for a relationship. Emmett's never been the kind to settle down, so it seemed like a match made in heaven…"

"But?"

I struggled for the right way to describe my brother's strange behaviour.

"I've never seen him act the way he acts around her… he's flustered and awkward. He can't seem to keep her off his mind. It's starting to get annoying. But Rosalie… she's so focused on their 'mutually beneficial arrangement,'" I scoffed at the horrible euphemism they'd come up with to describe their relationship. "I can't help but think it won't remain mutually beneficial for long."

Bella chuckled, tucking her head into the nook beneath my chin. Soft brown hair clouded my senses.

"Well Rosalie is really pretty. I mean, like Victoria's Secret model kind of pretty. You can't blame him for being a little awed by her. Maybe he's feeling inadequate."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think Emmett has a modest bone in his body. Trust me when I say this is more than just self-consciousness."

Bella twined our hands together, her fingers playing with mine, comfort under the guise of fidgeting.

"Are you really that concerned? From what you've told me he's done more than his fair share of breaking hearts. He's a big boy. If she's not as into him as it seems, he'll get over it."

I shrugged, unable to explain why Emmett falling for Rosalie could turn into catastrophe. I couldn't tell Bella that if Emmett fell in love with Rosalie, he'd never be able to fall in love with anyone else.

My human girlfriend wouldn't understand. She didn't know vampires had a very different set of rules when it came to love, and that when they did fall in love it was permanent. There were few cases where a vampire's love was unrequited, but it wasn't impossible. Most cases involved a vampire who had fallen for a human.

That was why I'd been so cautious with Bella. As much as I cared for her, I refused to let myself tread into the territory of love. Until I knew she would accept me as a vampire, I couldn't. I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be able to hold out. With each passing day, I was one step closer to being unable to turn back.

Following Garrett's advice had proven more difficult than I expected. Though Bella had witnessed numerous instances of odd behaviour, she never seemed to question I was anything but human. As far as I was aware, anyway. I would have done almost anything for a peek into her mind to see what was going on in there. Was she even a little suspicious? I had no way of knowing.

Warm brown eyes tilted to meet mine. "I know he's your brother and you love him, but you can't stop him from falling in love. He'll be fine."

I managed a half-hearted smile for her sake. "I hope so."

Bella kissed away my pathetic attempt at a smile, pressing soft lips against the corner of my mouth.

"I know so. I love that you guys care so much about one another. It's really adorable."

My smile was genuine this time. "Is it?"

"Actually," Bella continued, pushing herself into my lap, "it's more than adorable, it's kinda sexy."

She curled a hand into the hair at the nape of my neck while she feathered a maddening line of kisses along my jaw.

"The protective look you get in your eyes sometimes? ...Well, yeah, let's just say it's hot. Especially when it's directed at me."

"At you?" I managed to murmur, in spite of her insistent body trying to claim all of my attention.

It wasn't the first time we'd been in a position like this, but I got the impression that this time she had no intention of stopping. It was as terrifying as it was thrilling. She pressed against me coquettishly, clearly proud of herself as she reveled in the heated state of arousal she'd forced upon me.

Serious eyes burned into mine, as she wrapped her arms around my neck. "Last week, after class, when that guy Paul tried to force his number on me? You gave him this glare, and he was out of there without a second glance."

I gave her my most innocent look. "I didn't glare at him. That was just a friendly warning. You'd already told him no. He was being an ass, acting like he was doing you a favour." My lips thinned into a hard line at the memory. "Besides, he's in our class. He knows we're dating. What kind of idiot hits on a girl who he knows is in a relationship?"

Bella chuckled, tightening her arms around my neck, her playful eyes inches from mine.

"It was a glare. And it was hot as hell. I know as women we aren't supposed to like that kind of stuff – men protecting our honour and all – but we do. It was hot. End of story."

I smirked, pulling her closer. "If you say so."

"I do." Her nervous fingers tugged at a few strands of my hair, though her eyes remained on mine. "Speaking of things that are hot…"

I squeezed her hip, encouraging her to continue.

"We've been together for more than a month now and you never seem interested in… going further. Even when I do stuff like this," she bit her lip, gesturing between us, where she was straddling my lap.

I felt stupid. How had I not known that this was her way of indicating that she was ready for a more physical relationship?

I should have known better. Bella wasn't the kind of person to spell out what she wanted unless the circumstances were dire. Her easy-going selflessness was something I loved about her.

I opened my mouth to reply that I was an idiot, but Bella was quicker.

"Is it something I'm doing that's turning you off…?" the question trailed off into uncertainty.

I pulled her lips to mine, wanting her to feel as well as hear my sincerity. "You're doing nothing wrong." I waited until she met my eyes again. "Absolutely nothing."

She melted against me, her relief showing in her posture. I held her tighter. How could she not know how much I wanted her? If I had known she was taking our lack of sex life as an indication that I didn't want her, I would have brought it up weeks ago. I had assumed we were both comfortable with taking it slow. I never would have guessed she was interpreting my lack of experience as disinterest.

"Then why don't you want it?" she muttered, a trace of doubt remaining. "I don't subscribe to the three date rule or anything, but waiting six weeks is longer than I'm used to… that's all. I guess I just thought that–"

"You thought wrong," I insisted. "Of course I want you. I'd have to be crazy not to; you're perfect for me. It's me I'm worried about. I don't want to disappoint you."

A confused crease formed between her brows. "You think I don't want you? You must see the way girls look at you when we go out… you can't be that blind. You have to know how gorgeous you are."

I smiled, amused by her bluntness. There was no cattiness, just a simple truth.

I loved that she was comfortable enough with our relationship to avoid the ugly pit of jealousy. She was a better person than me. When that stupid asshole Paul had angled for my girlfriend, I'd seen red. The territorial vampire part of me that I'd never managed to bury entirely had sprung up with a vengeance.

"No, it's not that," I explained, stroking a fallen lock of hair behind her ear.

"Then what?"

"I've never had sex before."

Bella's mouth dropped open and she blinked at me in disbelief.

"You've never had sex?" she repeated incredulously.

I nodded.

She shot me a skeptical look. "You?"

I smirked at her bewilderment. "Yes. Why do you find this so difficult to believe? I know it's not common, but it happens."

"I don't know… it's just… you must have had tons of opportunities. College girls aren't exactly known for their chaste approach to sex, and we're less than a year from graduation. How have you navigated college without getting laid even once?"

I smirked. Little did she know I'd navigated college many times over, in a variety of different states, and managed to cling to my virginity throughout, though sometimes barely. Girls could be persistent and downright cunning when they wanted something badly enough.

"Just because I've had opportunities doesn't mean I've taken them. I have standards. I'm not the kind of person who engages in meaningless physical relationships. I've seen how that works out for my brother and it doesn't interest me."

Bella turned vulnerable eyes to me. "Then why did you choose me? Why am I different?"

"Who says I plan to have sex with you?" I asked solemnly.

When I cracked a smile, Bella realized I was joking.

She pummeled me with a throw pillow.

"Very funny. If I die from the sexual frustration of having a boyfriend who never puts out, you're going to feel horrible."

"I think I'll take my chances," I laughed through the assault, kittenish as it was.

Bella was half on top of me, clutching her pillow. Stands of her ponytail had come loose and her cheeks were pink from the effort of hitting me with it. I figured it was only fair to let her get out her built up frustration somehow.

"The reason I've never had sex before is because I never met anyone who I cared about enough to make it worthwhile," I explained once she'd settled down with an adorable pout.

Bella softened. "So…"

"I care about you a lot," I admitted.

A slow grin overtook her face. "I care about you a lot, too. Don't worry, I'll help you fix this whole virgin thing. In fact, I think I have just the solution…"

An expression I could only describe as mischievous clouded her features and I panicked. As appealing as the thought of sex with Bella was, I couldn't, not until she knew I was a vampire. I refused to set myself up for heartbreak if I could avoid it.

"There's more," I appended hastily. "I'm kind of waiting until marriage."

Guilt prickled in the back of my mind, but I buried it. A little white lie was better than the alternative.

Bella frowned. "You _are_ trying to kill me."

I shrugged, my lips finding hers. "It's not that awful, is it? I'm not opposed to some action, but I draw the line at sex."

She returned the kiss, her lips insistent against mine. "You're more important to me than sex."

I returned the kiss, more relieved than anything. "Good."

I pulled her closer, relieved. I wasn't sure what I would have done if she had proclaimed that it was non-negotiable. I would have been tempted to concede at the very least.

It took all my willpower to refrain from asking about her sexual history. While it was apparent she had some experience – more than I did, in any case – I knew better than to ask for details. If she told me about the boys whose hands had been on her, I might not be able to control the urge to remove said hands. It would be best if we left that part of her life unspoken.

It seemed Bella was about as good at reading my thoughts I was at reading hers.

"I've only been with two other people," she confided. "I just want you to know that even though I've been with other guys I'm not one of those people who takes sex lightly. My first time wasn't even until I was a freshman in college."

I released the breath I'd been holding, relieved that she had kept the details to a minimum.

"I don't care what you've done in the past," I managed, hoping I sounded sincere. "I want to live in the present."

Bella's lips twitched with a smile. "Does the present involve making out on my couch?"

I pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. "I'd say there's a strong possibility it might."

Bella mirrored my smile. "Living in the present is alright with me, then."

She pushed me down to the sofa, climbing on top of me. I let her lead, groaning when she ground her hips into mine. She shot me a wicked grin.

"So you _do_ like me," she teased, tilting her head toward the spot where our bodies were aligned in the most frustratingly pleasurable way possible. The jeans I was wearing were suddenly tight and uncomfortable and the denim was rough against my hyper-sensitive skin.

"Ugh," I moaned, meeting each swivel of her hips. "You're really cruel, you know that?"

She kissed me intently, her cheeks tinted with arousal. "I think you've got us mixed up. This is not cruel. This is awesome. Cruel is you telling me that this is all I'm allowed to want with you."

I could see her point. I cursed Garrett and his stupid advice. Would it really be so horrible if I told her myself? Anything that might make skin on skin contact happen sooner couldn't be that awful, could it?

I was in the midst of mentally cursing out my sort-of cousin when Bella tugged her shirt over her head. I froze, unable to do anything but stare.

She was wearing a lacy purple bra. The deep colour contrasted with her pale skin, making it seem luminous. I was pretty sure I was glimpsing a nipple through the sheer material. It wasn't something I had ever imagined Bella would wear and that made it all the more appealing.

I clenched my hands into fists stop myself from assaulting the milky flesh. I wanted to bury my face in her chest and live there. I wondered if it was normal to be so turned on by mere thoughts.

"You can touch them if you like," Bella offered, mindful of my staring.

I reached a hand out, gently cupping the delicate weight where her bra covered her. She fit perfectly in the palm of my hand. I stroked the slight protrusion where her nipple had made its presence known and she whimpered. The soft sound sent a shot of lust straight to my groin.

Her voice was throaty when she spoke. "Would it bother you if I removed my bra?"

My mind was full with the possibility of seeing her topless, but I was pretty sure I managed to shake my head.

She undid the hooks on her back of her bra with practiced ease, her breasts swaying enticingly as she pulled it away. I was mesmerized. I knew I was ogling, but I couldn't seem to stop myself.

Bella chuckled, her chest bouncing as she did. "Is it safe to assume this is the first time you've ever seen a pair of these up close and personal?"

I nodded. I'd seen plenty of breasts in the minds of others but I'd never had a pair within touching distance.

Bella threaded her fingers into my hair, kissing me lightly.

"I can't believe that I'm the first girl who gets to do this with you."

"Don't get too excited. I have no idea what I'm doing."

Proving my point, I gently cupped the soft flesh with uncertain fingers. She felt just as perfect as she looked. I'd never felt anything so soft in my life.

Her gaze clouded with arousal when I grew brave enough to raise my lips to her exposed chest, my mouth spilling feathery kisses.

She fisted the fabric of my shirt. "If you hadn't said anything, I never would have known."

I was so singularly enamored with exploring her bare form, I didn't notice she'd undone all the buttons on my shirt until she attempted to tug it off my shoulders. When I lifted my head, surprised to find myself half-naked, she giggled. I allowed her to pull the shirt off my arms.

She looked at me with concern as her fingers wandered the expanse of my shoulders. "You're really cold. Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm always cold," I explained, hoping like hell that this would be the thing that made it all click.

It would be so much easier if I could tell her the truth. She had to be adding up all the little oddities in her head. Sooner or later she would have no choice but to question me on them.

To my chagrin, she dropped it in favour of a kiss. With her torso pressed to mine, I groaned at the distracting feel of her hardened nipples on my chest. Her warmth felt like fire next to my cold. She didn't seem to mind my frosty temperature. Her arms tangled around my neck, holding me close, her hips continuing their circuitous movements below.

"Mmm, you feel really good," she hummed against my skin, her mouth dropping open in pleasure.

The hand that wasn't wrapped around my neck for leverage trailed across my back and chest, eventually hooking itself in one of my belt loops. My zipper was just a few inches away. I could almost see the ideas percolating in her beautiful head.

"Bella," I warned.

"I know," she half-grumbled, half-moaned. "No below the pants action. Got it." She played with my belt loop some more, her fingers teasing along the waistband.

I lifted her off of me, pushing her down on the couch so I was the one on top. She grunted in surprise at the swift change in position but quickly settled into a new rhythm, hooking a leg around my waist.

Her kisses grew more urgent the closer she drew to the edge. I moved with her, my own desire pooling. The winding tightness was growing unbearable. Bella seemed to feel the same. Her steady rhythm was being lost in favour of frantic bucking. She hummed wordlessly whenever we hit a particularly pleasurable spot. Those sounds made me feel like king of the world.

Within minutes, she was shuddering beneath me, her body going limp with relief as the last aftershocks of orgasm faded away. My own was quick to follow. I shook with the power of it before collapsing on her, just lucid enough to keep the majority of my weight off of her.

Bella's fingers absently combed through my hair as we lay sated on the cramped couch. "That was just what I needed."

I kissed her sweaty forehead, tasting salt. "It was pretty great."

"Just great?" she teased. "Not say… stellar? Glorious? Magnificent?"

"You'll have to excuse my inexperience," I retorted. "I have no basis for comparing these things. Also, I left my thesaurus at home."

Bella kissed me. "That's good. I love that you're all mine."

When we couldn't stand the uncomfortable, sticky aftermath any longer, Bella darted upstairs to change into fresh clothes, promising she would find something suitable to replace my jeans and boxers.

When Esme arrived home with Jasper in her arms half an hour later, I was wearing a ratty old pair of her ex-husband's sweats.

Esme smiled at the sight of the two of us on the couch, pretending to nonchalantly watch television like two people who had just been doing anything but watching television.

Her gaze dipped to the pants I was wearing, recognition flashing through her mind. She hid a grin, her thoughts revealing she was all too aware of what we had been doing. There were only so many reasons I could need a change of pants, after all.

Bella greeted her aunt by taking Jasper.

"Hey Jazz," she addressed the little boy, "how was preschool today?"

Jasper didn't say anything, but handed her a finger painting. Bella gushed over it, praising his artistry.

"I'm gonna go get him his afternoon snack," she announced once Jasper was satisfied with her praise.

Though it wasn't the first time I'd met Esme, we hadn't spent much time together.

"Hi Esme," I nodded at her, hoping she wouldn't ask what Bella and I had been doing all day.

"Hey Edward." Her smile was warm as she settled into the adjacent armchair, still in her purple scrubs. She took pity on me and glossed over the obvious. "How's Carlisle doing?"

We had discovered that she and Carlisle had worked together during his stint in pediatrics at Harborview.

He'd since been transferred to cardiology, following a shortage after departmental restructuring. Though my brother preferred working with children, he was qualified for both positions and he was the kind of person who was inclined to go wherever he was needed most.

"The same old stuff. Emmett's got it in his head that Carlisle is in love with one of the nurses. Some woman named Heidi? Do you know her?"

Esme nodded, her eyes guarded, though she wore a smile.

There was a wistful quality to her thoughts. It wasn't that she didn't wish my brother the best with whoever he chose to love... it was more that she wished she'd taken a chance on him when she'd had the opportunity.

Though she hadn't been in love with him by any means, there was curiosity about what might have been if she'd been more assertive in pursuing him. I wondered if my brother had been aware of Esme's little crush when he had worked with her.

"Heidi's great. She's the kind of nurse any doctor should want by his side. She's smart and has killer instincts. It doesn't hurt that she has legs up to here," she held a hand out just above her bellybutton knowingly. "It takes nothing short of a miracle to look that good in scrubs, trust me."

"You wear them well," I pointed out. Though Esme was in her early-thirties, she didn't look it. There was still a youthful roundness to her figure and not a wrinkle in sight.

Esme chuckled. "Not like Heidi. But thank you for saying so."

I shrugged, hoping to set her mind at ease. "I'm not convinced there's anything going on between her and Carlisle. Emmett tends to see what he wants to. He was convinced I was in love with Bella the day after I bumped into her at the supermarket."

Esme glanced my way, amused. "Was he wrong?"

I shrugged, unsure how to respond to that. I had thoroughly convinced myself that I wasn't in love with Bella Swan. Not yet.

Bella, who had returned with Jasper and a plate of veggie sticks, snorted, making it clear she had been listening in on our conversation.

"Edward's right, Es. Emmett's a little nuts. It's ninety percent of his charm. You should come meet him. The guys are throwing Alice a second birthday party next week. Jasper's invited, so you should come. You could catch up with Carlisle while you're there."

Esme laughed, kissing her son's blond head. "Jasper's got a more active social life than I do."

Bella gave her an exasperated look. "You sell yourself short. Since Stefan," she rolled her eyes as though it pained her to speak of him, "you haven't really put yourself out there. I'm sure Carlisle will be happy to see you. Please come?"

Esme held up her hands. "Well, you two are clearly the experts on who should come…"

Bella groaned. "Please tell me you did not make that joke."

Esme played innocent, though her eyes were mirthful. "If the _pants_ fit…"

Bella buried her face in my shoulder. "Make her stop."

Esme chuckled. "I'm sorry. I figured you owed me one good shot after what I walked in on. I'm done now."

"Yeah, you and Emmett are going to get along just fine," Bella said dryly. "You might want to work on your manners for Carlisle, though."


	8. Chapter Eight

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the tricky landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. Strong AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Okay, so I'm thinking this might turn out to be a little longer than the 10 chapters I originally speculated. We're already on number eight, and there's still a lot that needs to happen.. like stealing what remains of Edward's innocence. That's not a terrible thing… right?_

_Also, I've updated the summary to be a little more reflective of what the story is about and there's a link to the banner for this story on my profile as well :)_

xx

"Happy birthday, Ally!"

Emmett beamed at the little girl in my arms, showing her the three-tiered chocolate cake he'd spent hours perfecting. It smelled awful, but even I had to admit it was gorgeous.

Emmett had insisted on baking it himself, arguing it would be more special for Alice's first birthday with us. Bella fervently agreed, though her innocent proclamation that chocolate cake was clearly Alice's favourite made it apparent she was hoping for the same recipe that had resulted in the cupcakes she loved so much.

I showed Alice where her name was emblazoned on the cake in bright green frosting. Emmett was adamant green was her favourite colour, "because she always picks the green one if I give her a choice between two outfits."

Alice had no idea what was written on the cake, but she understood that today was special because we had been showering her with more attention than usual. Emmett had bought her a gold plastic tiara to wear, telling her it was "a special birthday crown." Though she liked being "special," she wasn't a fan of the tiara. Every time it was placed on her little head, it got tossed aside within minutes.

Alice eyed her cake curiously. If I hadn't grabbed her little hand mid-swipe, it would have had an Alice-sized handprint in it.

"Hunry!"

"You can eat it soon," I promised. "We're just waiting for the rest of your guests to get here."

I glanced around at the small gathering already accumulated in our yard.

Alice was too young to go to school, so the guest list had been limited to Jasper, Bella, Esme and a few random kids and their parents from our outings to the park. All of them were older than Alice, but it was the best we could scramble together.

The weather forecast assured the darkening rain clouds would hold off for the day, so we'd decided the kids would enjoy playing in our sizable backyard. Emmett had even rented a bouncy castle and a portable playground for the older ones.

I was contemplating whether Alice would be patient enough to wait for Bella and her family to arrive when my girlfriend peeked around the gate into the backyard.

Esme trailed behind, setting her son down in the grass to tie his undone shoelace.

"We were just waiting for you guys," I told Bella as she sidled up to me. "You're the last ones."

"Sorry we're late," she apologized, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Esme had a wardrobe meltdown or five." She cut her eyes at Carlisle who was helping Emmett set up Disney princess themed plates on the patio. "She's been jittery all morning. She wants to make a good impression."

I chuckled, sparing a glance at the other woman. She was wearing a white eyelet sundress. If Bella hadn't said anything, I would never have guessed she spent the morning frazzled. She wore the breezy look to perfection.

"It's fine. We're still setting up. Emmett just took the cake out of the fridge and the kids have been too busy giving the castle a work out to notice they've not eaten yet. It's killing Emmett not to join in, though he's excited to get the barbeque going."

I gestured to the brand new gas grill Emmett had bought for the occasion. It gleamed even under the overcast skies. In his eagerness to learn how to operate his new grill, Emmett had purchased a huge assortment of barbequing foods. Our guests would have a selection previously unseen at a two-year-old's birthday party.

"Cake!" Alice exclaimed.

Bella grinned at her. "Happy birthday, sweetie. Did uncle Emmett make you a cake? I bet it's yummy."

Esme joined us, her son on her hip. She waved at Alice. Jasper was more reticent. He cuddled shyly against his mother; it always took him a few minutes to warm up.

"This must be the birthday girl I've heard so much about." Esme smiled at Alice, who informed her that there was cake.

I nodded. "This is Alice. She's just turned this many," I demonstrated holding up two fingers. Alice mimicked me with pride.

We had taught her how to show her age this morning and she'd been doing it incessantly, though she had no idea what it meant, just that it made everyone really happy when she did it.

"Two, already? Oh my. You don't look a day over 20 months," Esme claimed, even as she surreptitiously scanned the yard for my oldest brother. She stood a little straighter when she spotted him. I bit my lip to hide my smile.

Bella chuckled. "Yes, Carlisle's over there, Es. Stop being a creeper and go talk to him."

Esme ignored her niece, sticking out her tongue at Bella when the kids weren't looking.

She busied herself with pulling an intricately wrapped gift out of her bag.

"Happy birthday, Alice," she told the little girl as I set the gift on the table with the other brightly wrapped packages Alice had accumulated.

Alice had already grasped those words were often followed by something good.

"Cake?" she suggested.

I smiled at her one-track mind. We definitely shouldn't have shown her the cake first.

"Well, it is your birthday," I conceded, though we had gotten into the habit of saving dessert until the end of her meals. I chuckled at how parental I'd become in a matter of weeks.

Bella regarded Alice's cake with identical gleaming eyes. "I'm with Alice. There's no reason to delay eating cake. It's chocolate!"

She stood to kiss my brother's cheek as he passed us with a handful of forks. "You're the best, Emmett!"

Emmett gave a humble shrug, though his smirk shone right through it. "It's nothing. Alice likes chocolate, so…"

I snorted at my brother's contrived modesty, a little irked my girlfriend was kissing him when she hadn't even kissed me yet.

"He gets a kiss and I don't?" I said, trying not to pout. "I thought you liked me best?"

"Sorry, but the cake sealed it." Bella wrapped an arm around my waist, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. "Emmett's my new favourite. Maybe if you bake something as delicious as that cake, I'll reconsider."

I held her to my side, careful to keep from crushing Alice, who reminded me that she, too, was a fan of my brother's baking.

"Cake!"

"I'm not waiting until I bake something to get a kiss from my girlfriend." I was pretty sure that day would never come.

"You're so needy," Bella sighed, but relented, kissing me more fervently than she probably should have in a yard full of children.

"Better?" she asked when she pulled away, soft eyes meeting mine. In them, her feelings for me were written in bold letters. Any irrational jealousy was squashed.

"Definitely," I mumbled, containing my grin.

We rounded everyone up, working in tandem to divvy up slices of cake. Rosalie, who'd taken an inexplicable liking to Alice, offered to help her eat hers so I could help Bella serve the remaining slices.

I handed the birthday girl over to Rosalie, more than happy to let someone else deal with the messy aftermath of feeding her.

At first it had been disconcerting to see the compassionate way Rosalie supervised Alice, but it had become evident that there was a lot more to Rosalie Hale than she wanted us to know. Her interactions with Alice were a rare window into what I suspected was the real Rosalie. There was no denying her maternal streak was real. It was impossible to fake something like that.

I'd thought in the frenzy of handing out pieces of cake, Bella wouldn't notice I wasn't joining the partygoers in eating a slice. She was more observant than that, though it seemed she was no closer to questioning me about my weird habits. I was starting to wonder if I would have no choice but to tell her myself.

"You must be on the most awful diet ever," she claimed as she forked a decadent piece of cake. "I swear, you eat next to nothing. You wouldn't even eat those salads I brought to the park yesterday."

"No diet. I'm just not hungry," I shrugged.

Bella scoffed. "You're always not hungry. Let's see…"

She proceeded to list numerous occasions I'd turned down food, ticking off a finger with each one. She managed to get to seven before I stopped her.

"Okay, so I've turned down food occasionally. What's the big deal?" I brushed it off.

Bella shot me an incredulous look. "It's not just occasionally. And this isn't food. It's _cake_. Trust me, anyone human is hungry when there's cake. And this isn't just cake, it's _chocolate_ cake."

My skin prickled with anticipation. I could taste the truth in the air. Would this be the time she called me on it?

"Anyone human?" I repeated, struggling to remain casual, though I wanted nothing more than to confess she was right.

To my great frustration, her attention was drawn to the other side of the yard where Esme and Carlisle were shuffling their feet, the air between them as thick as water.

"Oh, look!" she gasped, a grin overtaking her face. "Esme's doing it. She's talking to Carlisle!"

Over the past week, she had been adamant that they were perfect for one another. She was well-aware of her aunt's crush, which wasn't all that surprising. Esme read like an open book.

I tried to stay out of it. Emmett was insistent Carlisle wanted Heidi. I wasn't going to meddle in his personal life; knowing how much it had annoyed me when Emmett had butted into my relationship with Bella was deterrent enough. I would let Carlisle make his own decisions unless he asked for my opinion.

I would support Carlisle in whatever choice he made, though a part of me was hoping Bella was right. I liked Esme. She was sassy and intelligent; a perfect foil to my straight-laced, over-achieving brother.

"I wish I could hear what they're saying," Bella grumbled. "Damn it, if I'd known she was going to make a move, I would have sat closer."

I laughed at her frustrated inflection. "It's very uninteresting. Esme's telling him that the pediatric department at the hospital misses him. They're talking about work stuff. Stop being so nosy."

Bella eyed me challengingly. "I'm not being nosy… I'm being a concerned niece. And holy crap, how the hell can you hear them over the racket the kids are making on that bouncing thing? I'm straining and I'm getting nothing."

I chuckled at the note of jealousy. "I heard purely by accident. You, on the other hand, are being nosy. It's probably karma."

Rosalie sat down next to us with Alice in her lap. She gave Bella a tepid smile. Though they'd warmed up to one another somewhat since their initial meeting, it seemed they tolerated one another more than anything else.

"Esme's really laying the charm on Carlisle, huh?" she asked, following Bella's gaze.

Bella shot me a smug look that seemed to say "see?"

I glanced at the blonde, surprised she was attempting to make conversation with us. Rosalie was usually much more dismissive of Bella. She must have noticed my shocked expression. Her internal voice was conciliatory… almost.

_You're annoying when you pout. I figured if I made nice with your human you'd stop with the condescending sighs and 'oh, Rosalie's such a bitch' thoughts I know you have._

"Don't get your hopes up," I told Bella, though I was speaking just as much to Rosalie. "There's no flirting involved. They're talking about work stuff. Still."

Rosalie scoffed, intercepting one of Alice's sticky hands from leaving a brown handprint on her crisp white pants, instead wiping them on a handful of napkins. She was much better at it than I was, even after almost two months of practice. I wondered if all women instinctively knew how to take care of kids.

"You'd think for someone that can read," she stopped from revealing my ability when I shot her a lethal stare, "…people, you'd be better at spotting attraction."

"But Heidi–"

"Maybe he's attracted to Heidi, too," Rosalie continued, bouncing Alice on her knee. "She's gorgeous. I saw her last week when I was out with Emmett, and the girl is hot. Doesn't mean he can't like Esme, too. People don't turn off feelings just like that. Not even Dr. Goody-Two-Shoes."

I laughed at the absurdity of the conversation. I never thought I'd see the day that Rosalie appreciated another woman's attractiveness without belittling it in comparison to her own, nor one that Carlisle was accused of playing the field. And since when did Rosalie care whom Carlisle ended up with? She'd always seemed too self-absorbed to care about anyone's life but her own.

"_You're _calling someone hot?"

Rosalie smirked, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Well, she's no me, but who is?"

I rolled my eyes. That sounded more like Rosalie. "I can understand where Bella's coming from, but why are _you_ so insistent there's something going on between Carlisle and Esme? Just because a man and a woman are friendly doesn't mean there's more to it."

"I'm just calling it as I see it," Rosalie shrugged.

"I see it too," Bella insisted, her eyes sparkling. "Maybe they're not there yet, but there's potential. Esme hasn't looked at anyone like that since I can remember. I want her to be happy. Carlisle's a good guy and he could do worse than Esme."

I smiled at her hopefulness. Bella was a hopeless romantic at heart. It was even more apparent with Rosalie's cynicism still hanging in the air.

"It's not that they wouldn't make a good couple," I clarified. "I just think we should let them decide that on their own. Let them be together because they want to be. Not because they're being pushed together."

"It's not pushing," Bella refuted. "If they need a little nudge to see how perfect they are for one another, what's the harm?"

"Look," Rosalie said, her gaze still on the pair, "she's touching his elbow. Classic flirtation. And he's not stopping her. They probably won't need any nudging. I hope he changed his sheets last night, 'cause she's ready to go."

I snorted in derision at that seedy comment. "You really enjoy taking the romance out of everything, don't you?"

Rosalie grinned proudly in confirmation.

Bella ignored us, her eyes on her aunt. Even her beloved cake had been abandoned in favour of the show our unwitting relatives were putting on. I felt sorry for them. At least they seemed to be oblivious to the fact they were the focus of gossip on this side of the yard.

"Maybe we should give them a little–" I was shushed before I could finish.

I scooped up Alice – who was in desperate need of a change of clothes – from Rosalie's lap, glad to have an excuse to get away.

"You two spy all you like. I'm going to go do something useful."

I'd just finished tucking Alice's squirming legs into a fresh pair of overalls when Bella's dark head peeped into the room we had designated as Alice's. We'd just finished refurnishing it with a baby safari theme last week.

"All clean," I informed Alice, who seemed to be doing everything in her power to make redressing her a hassle. I didn't envy Carlisle who was the one to dress her most mornings.

"Cwean sing!" she insisted.

"Not even because it's your birthday," I countered. One time singing the clean up song was enough to scar me for the rest of eternity.

Bella chuckled from her spot in the doorway. "It wouldn't kill you to sing for her, you know."

"Hey," I greeted with a wry smile as she stepped into the room. "Is the Esme and Carlisle show over?"

She smiled back, leaning against Alice's giraffe changing table. "No. They're still talking. It's not as much fun when you're not there to tell me I'm being ridiculous."

I did up the last button on Alice's overalls, scooping her up.

"You're not being ridiculous. I just don't want you to be disappointed if they don't end up together. Relationships aren't cut and dry. Not with my family."

She regarded me suspiciously. "What do you mean 'not with your family?'"

I sighed, wishing I hadn't brought it up. In the middle of Alice's birthday party was not the time to get into this.

Bella took a step closer to me, her earnest eyes only inches away.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Her eyes seared into mine. "This is the second time you've gotten weird about your brothers. Last week you freaked out when I brought up Emmett and Rosalie. Now you're acting odd about Carlisle and Esme. What's going on?"

"I can't tell you," I sighed, knowing before I said it that she wasn't going to let it go at that.

I gave her my most imploring look, hoping she'd take the hint and drop it. I wasn't as compelling as I hoped. She ignored me.

"Can't or won't?" she challenged. "You can tell me anything, you know that."

I faltered, unsure how to end the conversation without riling her up further. I decided to go with the truth. I was tired of lying to her.

"It's not as simple as that. I've been waiting for you to see the signs yourself. If I just say it, you won't believe me."

Bella's brow scrunched, her hands white-knuckling the edge of the table behind her.

"What are you talking about? Why wouldn't I believe you? And what signs?"

Alice tugged on my sleeve. "Teddy pway?"

"Signs that I'm different," I explained, handing Alice a stuffed rabbit to keep her occupied. "Haven't you noticed anything odd about me? I'm not normal, Bella. Neither are Emmett or Carlisle."

Bella's eyes met mine, a trace of uncertainty in them, though her tone was forceful.

"Whatever it is, just tell me."

"Have you noticed anything strange about me?" I pressed.

If I'd still had a pulse, it would have been pounding out a frenetic pace, much like Bella's was. As it was, I only felt a hollow, nervous ache. I could only hope this conversation didn't end in disaster. This wasn't how I'd wanted to do this at all.

Bella started to shake her head, but I stopped her.

"The truth. You won't hurt my feelings."

She chewed on her lip, unsure whether or not to believe me.

"Well, I guess there's that you don't eat," she offered after several silent seconds. "Not in front of me, anyway. The one time you did, you looked like you'd rather be doing anything else. When I made French toast, remember?"

I nodded. "I'm sorry about that. It wasn't your cooking. Really."

Bella regarded me solemnly. "Are you anorexic?"

I choked down a chuckle, startling Alice who had tossed the rabbit aside and was amusing herself with the cuff of my sleeve.

"No. Not at all. I'm perfectly healthy in my own way."

"Does eating in front of people freak you out? Like… a phobia or something?"

I shook my head. "It's not about food. Have you noticed anything else unusual?"

Bella's eyes flicked to me and she chewed her lip again, still wary of offending me with misplaced words.

Her voice was soft. "You're always kind of cold. Not freezing or anything, but when I kiss you, your lips are always cold. I figured you were sensitive to temperatures. It's not exactly California weather up here, you know? Your skin feels a little different, too. No hard, exactly… because you've got the softest lips… but firm, maybe? Does that even make sense?"

I repressed a smile at her rambled description; at least she didn't seem to find kissing me repulsive. In fact, the fluttering of her heart and pink hue of her cheeks told me she liked it very much.

"Anything else?"

She shrugged, but answered more swiftly this time.

"Sometimes you seem to know what other people are going to say before they do. I notice it a lot when you're with Emmett and Carlisle. It's difficult to explain, but it's like you'll say something in response to something they haven't said yet. It's kind of unsettling, actually." She paused a beat, her tone turning dubious. "Edward… why are you asking me this? I don't see how any of these things are connected. What am I supposed to be seeing?"

"Just think," I insisted, bending down to retrieve the toy Alice had tossed when she started to get restless. I wished Bella would have brought this up when we weren't with her, but there wasn't anything we could do about it now.

"Edward…"

"Please, Bella?" I entreated. "What else?"

Bella sighed, but seemed willing to appease me. "Okay… this isn't that weird, but you have insane reflexes. Last week when I dropped that glass and you managed to catch it before it hit the floor? I remember thinking it was almost like you stopped time to make it possible." She laughed. "I know that sounds crazy and you probably think I'm nuts… but I don't know how else to explain it. I've never seen anyone move that fast before."

I nodded. "It's not exactly stopping time, but I can see how it would appear that way to a human."

"A human?" she repeated, her eyes narrowing. "Are you trying to tell me you're not human?"

"Bella…" I started, but she interrupted me, her tone sharp.

"Stop. Why are you doing this? Is this your way of saying you don't want to be with me?"

Tears clouded her beautiful brown eyes and her heartbeat was loud and erratic in my ears. I tried to pull her closer to me but she resisted, turning her watery eyes away. She scrubbed a sleeve over her face, wiping away the traces of wetness that had spilled onto her cheeks.

I waited until she let me tilt her face to mine to respond. I wanted her to see I was sincere.

"Not at all. I'm committed to us. I'm worried you might not feel the same when you discover the truth, though."

"Then tell me the truth!" she snapped, her watery eyes blazing. "What could be so damn important that it'll change how I feel about you?"

I was about to recount all of the things Bella had pointed out and ask her to think about how they could possibly connect, but Alice beat me to the punch.

"Teddy vampire," she said, her small voice clear. She grinned at Bella before returning her attention to the stuffed rabbit like she hadn't just told my girlfriend I was a vampire.

I shushed her, but it was too late. The damage was done. Bella glared at me.

"Vampire," she repeated slowly, her gaze sweeping over me, her expression unreadable. I wished, once more, that I could see what she was thinking. "That's it, isn't it? You're trying to tell me that you're a vampire?"

"Does that scare you?"

Her voice was icy, sarcasm seeping into it. "Not really. If you wanted me dead, I'd be long gone by now."

I tried not to sound too hopeful. "So you believe me?"

She shrugged, though her eyes narrowed. "I don't know. I'd have to believe vampires exist. Right now I'm more inclined to believe my boyfriend is an asshole who couldn't think of a better way to break up with me."

"I can prove it to you," I offered. "Just hold Alice and I'll–"

Bella held up her hand. "Thanks, but no thanks. You can save the bag of magic tricks."

"Bella, please." My desperation grew as it became clear she was shutting me out. "Let me show you that I'm serious. I know you're hurt, but I swear that wasn't my intention."

She shot me a piercing stare. "Oh really? You thought that making up these lies would… what? Make me fall madly in love with you? Grow the fuck up, Edward."

"I'm not lying."

She rolled her eyes. "Let's pretend you're telling the truth about this vampire thing," she spat, distaste in each word. "Then you should have told me from the beginning. There's no way you get to be the good guy here. Either you're a lying, bloodsucking monster, or a really crappy excuse for a boyfriend. Which is it?"

When I remained silent, she scoffed.

"That's what I thought."

Without a second glance at me she darted out of the room, her footsteps an echo behind her. It took all of my considerable strength not to follow her. The logical part of me knew it would not be a good idea to make a scene downstairs.

Alice looked up at me with her too innocent face, her grey eyes sparkling. I got the impression she knew exactly what she had done.

I sighed. "What the hell, Alice? What did I ever do to you?"


	9. Chapter Nine

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the tricky landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. Strong AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Okay, I know I promised this story would be relatively angst free, but bear with me for this one. The good news is it gets better from here. I still love hearing from you guys. The response has been great :) _

xx

"What am I supposed to do?" I begged Emmett.

Giving up my pacing, I flopped face first onto the couch, loathing my pathetic state. My head hurt, my heart hurt and pretty much everything else hurt too. I wanted to feel normal again… to erase the last three days and pretend my relationship with Bella wasn't damaged, possibly beyond repair.

I didn't care that I had stooped to asking Emmett for relationship advice. If I'd been in a sound state of mind, the thought never would have crossed my mind. As it was, I was desperate.

Emmett shrugged. "Did you apologize? Chicks love it when you come crawling to them begging for mercy. It's a power trip fantasy or some shit. They totally get off on it."

That might have been decent advice if Bella would talk to me. She wouldn't, as Emmett already knew. I'd been complaining about it to him and Carlisle for the past ten minutes.

My last interaction with her had been a strained hour following her storming out on me at Alice's party. She had endured the remainder of the festivities for Jasper's sake, but refused to speak to me, no matter how much I pleaded for a moment alone.

Esme's fierce protectiveness of her niece hadn't helped. When she had spotted Bella's tear-stained cheeks, she had transformed into a stony sentinel. She rebuffed every attempt I made to get Bella alone with quiet force.

Since then, two agonizing days had passed like molasses though an hourglass. I was aware of each second that dripped by, aware that it was another that Bella was off somewhere, distraught because I had fucked up telling her I was a vampire. That knowledge hurt as much as my own bruised feelings.

"She won't talk to me," I muttered into the sofa cushions, repressing the urge to yell. Emmett was trying to help and I needed his assistance too much to risk pissing him off. "I even tried texting her. I'm pretty sure she blocked my number."

"I'm sorry, bro." Emmett gave me a sympathetic look that made me feel even more pitiful. "Garrett did warn you. Look at it from Bella's perspective. You said she thought that you were trying to break it off, right? I mean, that's a pretty shitty way to break up with someone. I wouldn't want to talk to you either."

"I wasn't trying to break up with her," I growled, irritation with the situation getting the best of me.

"We know that," Carlisle soothed, handing Alice, who he was playing with on the nearby carpet, a toy dinosaur. "She doesn't. She's hurt, understandably. She needs time to cool off."

While that was probably true, I didn't know if I had the patience. It had already been days. How long did it take for anger to subside?

If Bella would let me explain, I could prove that the last thing in the world I wanted was to see her hurt. It would be easy to show her I really was a vampire if only she would give me a chance.

"I was trying to get her to see it herself like Garrett suggested. I was doing fine until Alice had to jump in and ruin everything."

I was trying my hardest not to be upset with someone who was one fiftieth my age, but that was easier said than done.

There was no reason Alice should have blurted out that word. She had never said it before, nor had she ever given any indication that she realized we were different from humans. The only explanation was that it was a manifestation of her gift. She was doing what she thought she was supposed to. I just couldn't understand why fate wanted Bella to hate me.

Emmett shot me a disapproving stare. "You can't really be blaming Alice. She's a baby. She thought she was helping. You asked a Bella a question. She knew the answer."

"She shouldn't have known the answer!" I grumbled. "If she was a regular baby she wouldn't have. Why, of all the millions of babies, did we get the psychic one?"

I glanced at the little girl playing on the carpet. She seemed so innocent when she was lost in her make-believe world where barbie rode in the back of a fire truck on her date with a dinosaur. She rolled the fire engine toward me, giggling at her imagined scenario.

If only she wasn't so goddamn cute it would be a lot easier to be angry with her.

Emmett snorted. "You've got to admit it's kinda funny."

Carlisle stroked Alice's dark hair. "Alice loves you. She loves Bella. She didn't intend to hurt either of you. While Alice may know the future, she doesn't write it. Trust in god's plan for you."

A growl raised in my throat, creeping up alongside anger.

"Are you suggesting that Bella and I are supposed to be apart? I don't accept that. Carlisle, she's the first girl I've–"

I halted, unable to adequately describe my feelings for Bella. They just were; intangible, but real all the same. There was no simple explanation. I wanted her with me always. I wanted to protect her and comfort her and be everything she needed forever. I wanted her to want me the same way. It was easy enough to feel those things, but articulating them was another matter.

"Gotten down and dirty with?" Emmett suggested, ever helpful. "Don't even try to deny it. You came home wearing _sweatpants_. Not once in ninety-nine years have I seen you wear sweatpants. Especially not sweatpants with holes that reek of human."

"I was going to say she's the first girl I've seen myself with… permanently," I lied.

That was scratching the surface of what had been going through my head, but anything was better than letting Emmett discuss those damn sweatpants.

"You love her." Carlisle clasped my shoulder, his smile proud and sentimental.

"What?" My voice rose in denial, though I was terrified he might be right.

The most frightening moment of my existence – the moment I awakened to find out I was vampire – paled in comparison. I kept that memory locked in the back of my mind, hating reliving the cold chill of shock. Recollecting it now seemed like child's play… a mere shadow of the icy panic roaring through me.

"I can't. She left… I can't love her. What if she doesn't…?"

"Dude," Emmett soothed, understanding what I hadn't been able to say. "It's going to be fine. Bella's a cool chick. She'll come around. She just needs some time."

"She blocked my number," I pointed out, unwilling to share his optimism. "That seems pretty permanent to me."

"Teddy?" Alice said, offering me her dinosaur in consolation. She knew I was upset and playing with her toys always made her feel better.

"Thanks," I muttered, accepting the gift with a pathetic rendition of a smile.

"What about Esme?" Carlisle suggested. "Maybe I can ask her to help? You could write a note for her to give to Bella?"

I sighed. I didn't want to seem ungrateful by refusing Carlisle's help, but it seemed unlikely Bella would read anything if she knew it was from me.

"As much as I appreciate that, I don't think a letter will help. Do think Bella is going to read anything if she knows I sent it? What could I possibly write that would make her believe me?"

Emmett snorted in agreement. "As if Esme would go for that, anyway. Did you see the way that she hovered around Bella like she was her guardian at Alice's party? There's no way she's going to let Edward get past her that easily."

"Thanks so much for your support," I said dryly. I had to bite my cheek to keep from spitting out a much nastier retort. Alice didn't need to learn the words I had in mind. Last week she'd learned the word "sit" from Emmett. We were pretty sure had nothing to do with chairs.

Emmett shrugged. "Not gonna lie to you, little brother, I don't envy you. Esme is one tough chick."

I sighed. That was the understatement of the century. Esme was a passionate woman, but when it came to her family, she was nothing short of a bulldog. Jasper and Bella were her first priority, always.

Emmett winked at Carlisle. "Speaking of Esme… Rosie tells me that the two of you have something going on? You ditched Heidi fast."

Carlisle sighed, his thoughts reticent, as they always were when it came to discussing his love life.

"Rosalie is exaggerating. Esme and I are friends and colleagues. We have a deep mutual respect for one another. She's an exemplary nurse and a wonderful friend."

Emmett, always most observant when someone least wanted him to be, zeroed in on Carlisle's omission of Heidi.

"So it's still hot and heavy with Heidi, huh?"

Carlisle scrubbed a hand over his face in exasperation. The walls he had formed to protect against my unintentional prying were dissolving. He didn't like keeping secrets from us, though he was deeply private by nature.

"I didn't want to say anything until I was more certain," he admitted, "but I've agreed to take Heidi on a date. She's close to my age. We have common interests and share the same values… I think we could work, but it's hard to know whether chemistry will transfer beyond the workplace. I was hoping to wait until after our date to discuss it with you."

Emmett's grin was spirited, as was his slap to Carlisle's shoulder. "So much for that 'I could get fired for fraternizing' bullshit. I knew you were crushing hard. I can't believe you're actually pursuing a human. After all the fuss you made about me changing Edward before his time was up… well, I would've thought turning your mate wouldn't be an option."

I wanted to be happy for my brother, but his date with Heidi only reminded me that Bella would be unhappy Carlisle and Esme were over before they began.

I wondered if she still wanted them to be together, even after what had transpired between us. If she thought I was an asshole, maybe she assumed my brother would be no better. Maybe she had changed her mind and decided a clean break would be best for everyone involved.

Thinking about my girlfriend – potentially ex-girlfriend – made my head ache. The difference those two little letters made hurt more than I had imagined they would. I wanted them gone and to return to the blissful happiness of less than a week ago.

Carlisle shrugged. "I never thought turning someone who had another choice was something I would consider. But recently, with you and Edward finding…" he trailed off, his eyes flicking to me. They said the words he hadn't said aloud.

"I'm just tired of being alone," he sighed. "It's been three hundred years. Maybe I'll never find a vampire mate. I'm tired of fighting against what I want most. Maybe it's time I give up trying to fight fate."

"Forget about fate," Emmett scoffed. "Listen to Emmett. I'm never wrong about this stuff. I called Edward and Bella. Now this. I'm two for two."

He realized his mistake a moment too late. His face crumpled with regret. "Shit. Sorry, bro… I didn't mean–"

I stopped him before he could fumble his way through an unnecessary explanation.

"It's fine. It's not your fault. It's going to be okay. I'm not giving up."

Emmett gave me a tentative smile. "There's always that class you guys have, right? You'll see her there. I bet anything that Bella won't skip out on it and sacrifice her honour roll status."

Bella did show up to class, just as Emmett predicted.

She arrived ten minutes early and begged Paul – the idiot who had hit on her a couple weeks ago – to trade seats with her. She couldn't have sent a more definitive message if she'd tried. Our relationship was over. She wasn't even pretending to salvage our friendship.

"What'd you do to piss her off, man?" Paul asked conversationally as I dropped into the seat next to him.

"None of your damn business," I spat, irritated that Bella had chosen Paul of all people to reel into her little seat switch.

Paul continued, undeterred. He leaned back in his chair, a smug smile plastered on his face.

"She was all over me. She wasn't being shy about it, either. You must have fucked her over real bad."

It was only years of repressing my instincts that stopped me from tossing him through the wall.

He shoved a piece of paper with Bella's messy cursive across our joint desk.

"She gave me her number. She said I could call her if I switched seats with – hey!" he complained as I snatched the paper, ripping it into a hundred jagged pieces. I tossed them back at him. They fluttered around us like confetti.

I knew it was a dick move. We weren't a couple as far as Bella was concerned. She was free to give her number to anyone she pleased. But I couldn't stand the thought of it being Paul. He didn't deserve her. She was better than him, better than everyone in this room.

"If you so much as lay a finger on her, I'll end you. Understand?" I seethed. I probably looked like the bringer of death, but I couldn't find it in me to give a shit in my infuriated state.

He stared at me, unblinking, his mouth hung open in shock. Even his feeble mind was struck stupid. Not that that was much different than usual.

"I _said_ do you _understand_?" I demanded, quiet but venomous.

He bobbed his head up and down like a programmed robot. "I won't touch your girl, I swear. She said you broke up with her," he explained hurriedly. "I thought–"

I cut him off. I had no interest in hearing about what went through his head. I knew all I needed to and then some.

"And for god's sake, stop picturing her fucking naked. If I see her naked in your head one more goddamn time… be prepared to say goodbye to your balls. Since they have names, it shouldn't be too difficult." The fucking idiot had named his balls. This was the kind of dumbass Bella thought she deserved?

His mind cleared so quickly it was as if a switch had been flicked off. It might have been funny if I wasn't so enraged.

"…You can read my mind?" He was as awestruck as he was terrified.

He was quick to believe. He'd never told anyone about "Jack" and "Coke" before, so to him mind reading was as reasonable an explanation as any. If only convincing Bella I was a vampire had gone so smoothly.

"And, by the way, you did fail the test," I sneered, referencing a question that had been pervading his mind since I'd sat down. "The answer to three was _qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum. _If you'd spent more time doing the readings and less picturing my girlfriend naked, you might have known that."

His eyes widened with horror. I felt a sick twinge of satisfaction. He was concerned about what would happen if his father found out he was failing. If his father cut him off, he'd have no way of finishing school. He had no other options.

I shrugged, rubbing salt into his wound. "You'll be fine. Your dad probably already knows… I mean, Sam was always the smart one. You're just Paul, the little brother no one expects to do anything worthwhile."

Paul sat in shamed silence.

It was only when I felt Bella's deep brown gaze burning into my head that shame for my petty cruelty descended. I glanced up, hoping to meet her eyes, but she hastily turned them back to the notebook on her desk, her lip a white line between her teeth. I didn't blame her for not wanting to look at me. The way I had just acted was beyond disgusting.

The round-table set up of the classroom gave me a clear view of her. Her skin was a little paler than usual, and her eyes held smudges of darkness, but she was beautiful as always. Even with her head downturned, I could see her brimming tears. I could smell their saltiness from across the room.

The scent made my stomach turn. I didn't deserve her any more than Paul.

She avoided my eyes for the rest of the class. She didn't even raise her hand to respond to the TA's questions, though I knew she knew the answers.

It wasn't until we were dismissed that I realized I'd spent the entire hour staring. I watched as she packed up her papers, slowing my own packing, so we'd reach the exit at the same time.

She slung her bag over her shoulder, making a dash for the door, but my seat was closer.

I caught her wrist as she tried to brush past me.

She whirled to face me. "Let go of me!" she demanded, her eyes a molten chocolate.

"Give me a chance to explain," I pleaded, not above begging for her attention. "Please, Bella. I… I love you."

I felt an ounce of shame for telling her now, like this, but she had to know. Carlisle had been right, I couldn't deny that Bella was it for me. If I couldn't have her, I didn't want anyone else.

Her gaze softened marginally.

Another girl who I recognized as Lauren, one of Bella's friends, marched up to us, planting herself in the small space between us. She'd clearly been waiting outside of classroom to escort Bella away in case something like this happened.

She stood several inches taller than Bella, with pale blonde hair that flowed to her waist. Her eyes were an icy blue, but there was no denying the red hot anger in them. She knew who I was and she wasn't happy about it.

"Come on, Bella," Lauren demanded, her eyes flashing. "Let. Her. Go. Jackass. We've got somewhere to be."

I let go of Bella's wrist. I had a feeling Lauren wouldn't hesitate to call campus security and I couldn't risk drawing unwanted attention to myself.

As much as I hated that Lauren had jammed herself between Bella and I, I had to admire her tenacity. It was no small feat to look into the eyes of a vampire and not so much as quiver.

"I just want to talk," I pleaded, but Lauren was past caring. With a final glare in my direction, she dragged Bella down the hallway.

A spent the following hour moping in the choir rehearsal room, playing sweeping, melancholy melodies on the piano. I figured I might as well embrace the cliché. Since I'd started seeing Bella, I'd neglected the practices I usually scheduled after class. It wasn't like I really needed practice, but it was a quiet place to compose without Emmett's jibing.

I could hear Angela shuffling about in the lighting booth. I wondered if she would freeze me out like Lauren had, out of loyalty to Bella. I would have liked to think she considered me a friend as well. We weren't close, but as fellow fine arts majors, we'd shared classes before.

Angela was as sweet and unassuming as anyone I'd ever met. I couldn't picture her as the kind of person who passed judgment without hearing every side of the story, so I decided it was worth a shot.

She answered the door to the booth on the first knock, sliding open the door a crack. She tensed when she spotted me, but opened the door a little wider.

"What do you want, Edward?" Her tone wasn't friendly, but it was far from Lauren's hostile greeting.

"Have you talked to Bella lately?" I couldn't hide my desperation.

She gave a terse nod. "She's not your biggest fan right now. After what she told me, I don't know if I am, either."

"That was a misunderstanding. I want to fix it. I know you probably don't believe me, but I love her. I hate that she's upset. But I need to be able to talk to her if I have any hope of fixing it."

"I believe you. That doesn't make what you did okay. I've seen you guys together… and I never thought you would do something like that to her."

"I didn't break up with her," I defended, needing Angela to trust my good intentions. "I swear it was a misunderstanding. I just need a chance to explain. How can I talk to her?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. She's not answering her phone. I wish I could help you more," she said, earnest in her desire to help. "Whatever you do, don't try to catch her at home. Esme is on warpath and you're enemy number one. You'll be lucky if you escape her wrath with nothing but bruises."

Having exhausted all other options, that night I did the only thing I could think of that didn't involve walking in Bella's front door: I climbed the tree outside her bedroom window.

Feeling like a creeper, I waited until I heard her settle into bed. With the curtains closed, I couldn't see her, but I could hear the soft scratch of the pages of a book turning. I waited a few minutes to be sure she was alone and wouldn't be disturbed, then tapped on the window.

The sheets rustled, then stilled as she stopped to identify the noise. I tapped the glass again, my heart in my throat. Now that I was here, I was overwhelmed with everything I wanted to say to her. I didn't know where to begin.

There was silence, then the soft thump of socked feet on the hardwood as she came to investigate. When she yanked back the curtain and saw me balancing in the tree outside, I thought for a moment that she might tug them closed and pretend she had never seen me.

She stood watching me for a several long seconds before undoing the latches with trembling fingers. She slid the old window open, but blocked the entrance, preventing me from coming inside.

Her eyes were red-rimmed and raw, but she was gorgeous. I'd never felt more ugly knowing I was the reason she cried.

She cut our silent assessment of one another short, her voice laden with the raspy quality of someone who had been crying recently.

"What could you possibly have to say to me?"


	10. Chapter Ten

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the tricky landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. Strong AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_The good news? This is the longest chapter yet and it's nearly 100% fluff. I think we all need that right now, no? This story was never intended to be about prolonged angst, so rest assured this was always the plan. Happiness and love to everyone in the fandom :)_

xx

There were a million things fighting for space on the tip of my tongue. Somehow, the words that made it to the top of the pile were probably the worst ones I could have said.

"I really am a vampire."

I wanted to hit myself for that slice of genius.

To my surprise, Bella didn't slam the window shut in my face. She crossed her arms and her beautiful features set into a stubborn line. She seemed willing to hear me out, at least, which was a step above anything else I'd achieved this week.

"Prove it. You said you could show me."

I was more than happy to fulfill that request.

I did a back flip out of the tree, landing in an easy crouch in the grass fifteen feet below. I was showing off, but I figured it couldn't hurt. If I had to prove myself, I might as well do it thoroughly.

Bella squeaked, thinking I'd fallen.

I chuckled, calling up to her, "I can't die, Bella. That's what I've been trying to tell you."

In a fluid movement, I leapt back into the tree. Bella's eyes widened as I made the inhuman jump. She glanced at me worriedly. I couldn't help my smile, pleased to have a sign that she still cared about me.

"Your ankles…"

I shrugged. "Are perfectly fine." I yanked up one of my pant legs to show her. "No damage. There won't even be a bruise. It wouldn't matter if I jumped 200 hundred feet."

She bit her lip, a trace of doubt remaining.

I hopped back out of the tree, darting to the other side of the yard to grab a decorative stone that had to weigh nearly a ton. I lifted it up with ease and walked over to the window.

I waved up at Bella, balancing the rock above my head with one hand. She was looking on with the same bewildered expression as before.

"Pretty cool, right?" I called up to her. "If I had two more, I could juggle. Emmett's better than I am, though. He can throw them really high."

"Put that back and come here," Bella hissed, glancing over her shoulder.

"Esme can't hear us, she's watching TV," I explained, but did as Bella requested.

When I reached the window ledge, she tugged on my shirt, dragging me into her room. I followed her inside, hopeful that it was a sign she would forgive me.

"So you believe me?" I inquired, as we sat down on her bed side by side, half a foot of space separating us. I tried – and failed – not to recall the things I'd done with her on that bed. I could only hope we would continue to make memories like those.

She exhaled shakily. "Does that make me crazy?"

I turned to face her, stroking her cheek, amazed that she was letting me touch her at all.

"No. It doesn't make you crazy. Humans are taught not to believe we exist. I always expected telling you would be difficult. I never expected you to think I was doing it to hurt you. I never want you to be hurt."

She covered my hand with her own. Her skin on mine made my soul hum with contentment. It was exactly what I'd been craving the last four days.

"I didn't know what else to think. You were asking all these weird questions and I was overwhelmed. It seemed like the most rational explanation."

I rubbed a thumb over the pink apple of her cheek, soothing the flushed skin.

"Sometimes what seems the most irrational is the most real. This is who I am."

She nodded, peering into my eyes.

"I believe you. I'm sorry I was stubborn. I knew you were different… really, I did. I just never expected the reason to be something so…" she paused, searching for a word.

"Terrifying?" I suggested.

She shook her head, a hint of a smile softening her features.

"Not exactly. You've never scared me. I guess that's it. You're so… sweet, for lack of a better description. The way you are with Alice and Jasper… and with me. I couldn't picture it. It doesn't make sense. Vampires are cruel and vicious. That's not who you are."

I caressed her hair, rejoicing in being able to do so. Now that I'd started, I couldn't seem to stop touching her. To my great relief, she didn't ask me to stop.

"Books and movies aren't the best place to obtain factual information," I pointed out. "Vampires aren't as humans portray us, at least not entirely. Most vampire myths are as fictional as humans perceive us to be."

"So you don't drink blood?" She asked.

"Not human blood. There are other vampires that do, but my family prefers not to live that way. We enjoy the company of humans and killing them would put a damper on that."

Bella's lips quirked. "Never? Not even a drop?"

I nodded, proud to share the truth. "Not a single one. Carlisle is the same, unless you count him changing Emmett. Emmett… he does his best, but it's more difficult for him. Our ability to resist temptation varies," I admitted. "His last relapse was decades ago, though. He hates feeling like the weakest link, but he's a good person. He would never intend to harm anyone."

I peeked into Bella's eyes, worried I might find judgment there. As much as I adored her, I couldn't stand the thought of her looking down on my brother for his momentary lapses in control. He was the most big-hearted person I'd ever known.

Bella was impassive, her lip between her teeth again.

"Then what do you eat… or drink?" she whispered, her eyes still scorching mine.

"Animal blood. Apparently it doesn't taste as good, but I'd rather settle for something less appetizing if it means sparing lives. It's all I've ever known, so I'll never feel like I'm missing anything."

Bella nodded, as if she was mentally connecting dots in her head. "I guess that explains why you hate cake."

I chuckled, amused that was what she had taken from our conversation.

"I tell you I subsist on animal blood and you're relieved I have a legitimate reason to hate cake?"

Bella chuckled, too. "I'm sorry. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around this. It's going to take some time to sink in. I have so many questions. I don't know where to begin."

I threaded my fingers through hers, pleased when she squeezed my hand in return.

"I've got forever. Ask away."

She nodded. "Okay, let's start there. Forever? When you say that, do you actually mean forever? In the legends, vampires live for eternity, right?"

I nodded. "It's true as far as we know. No vampire has reached the end of his or her lifespan yet. It's possible one exists, but if it does, it's millennia upon millennia. The oldest vampires in existence are over ten thousand."

Bella's eyes widened. "That's…" she shook her head. "How old are you?"

I smirked. "I'm relatively new. I was changed in 1930, by Emmett. He's my biological brother. He was changed by Carlisle after he was attacked by a bear. He insisted on coming back for me."

Bella smiled. "That sounds like Emmett. So, if you were changed in 1930, that makes you at least eighty-two," she calculated.

I was impressed by her quick math, though she hadn't added my human years.

"Ninety-nine, actually. I was seventeen when I was changed. We're frozen in the bodies we had at the time of our transformation."

Bella choked on thin air, her eyes widening comically. "Seventeen? You're practically a child! I'm five years older than you! That isn't weird to you?"

I snorted. "Actually, I'm 77 years older than you. I was an adult when you were born. And no, it's not weird. Age means very little when you live forever."

"Seventeen," Bella repeated. "I'm in love with a seventeen-year-old vampire."

Hearing her say that she loved me, while admitting that I was a vampire, no less, sent white hot warmth surging through my frozen veins.

Bella glanced at me when my head shot up, seeming to realize for the first time the significance of what she had blurted out.

Her mouth dropped open, silently fumbling for words. She eventually settled on, "Shit."

"You love me?" I was grinning like an idiot. I didn't care. My joy was inescapable.

Bella shrugged, her gaze defiant. "You said it first… in the hallway after class, remember?"

"Yes."

"Did you mean it?"

I'd never seen her look so nakedly apprehensive.

If admitting that I loved her was what it took for her to admit her own feelings, I would do it gladly. There was no way I could pretend what I felt for her was anything but love. I didn't want to, anyway. I wanted the world to know I was hers.

I was done lying to her, and myself, so I nodded.

Her smile was blinding. "Really?"

I gripped the hand still in mine tighter. "Yes, really. I don't know how anyone could resist. You're beautiful and intelligent. You're passionate and stubborn and endlessly entertaining. You have the most adorable laugh. You're everything I never thought to hope for. If only you didn't have the most awful taste in food… I might be tempted to say you were perfect."

Bella scooted closer to me, her eyes glassy, even as her face threatened to split with the enormity of her smile.

"I meant it, too," she admitted shyly. "I love you."

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into my chest, reveling in the nearness of her scent. I'd never thought I'd miss the burning ache of a human scent, but it wasn't just any scent, it was Bella's.

"Even though I'm a vampire?" I asked, the familiar insecurity resurfacing. I needed to hear her say the words.

She combed a hand through the hair that had flopped onto my forehead. "Even though you're a vampire. Before you distracted me… I had some questions about that."

"I distracted you?" I snorted. "You're the one who said you loved me. But okay, I'm listening."

We spent the next hours rehashing every single thing, fact or fiction, that Bella had ever read about vampires. More often than not, her information proved to be groundless, though a few of the legends she recounted were loosely based in fact, such as the belief that we couldn't go out in daylight.

"You sparkle?" Bella asked, tilting her incredulous face up to mine. "Like you've been dipped in glitter?"

I laughed at her adorable, scrunched expression, holding her tighter. During the course of our conversation, she'd gradually migrated closer and closer, until she had wound up curled in my lap, her head pillowed on my chest.

"Not exactly. More like the way light refracts in a gemstone. Only sunlight penetrates the pigment in our skin, for some reason. Carlisle's done some experimenting, but he's never been able to determine why different sources of light react with our skin differently. The same with our eye colour. I suppose some things are just not meant to be understood."

"I think that's something I'm going to have to see to believe," she admitted, touching my face. "You look so normal. I can't picture it."

"You noticed my skin was unusually firm," I pointed out. "That's because we're made of almost pure carbon, with very few impurities. It makes us virtually indestructible."

"Pure carbon? Like diamond?" Bella asked, confused.

I shook my head. "Close, but not quite. The impurities are important. They change the cell structure entirely. One of them is a new element, something that doesn't exist anywhere else on earth. It's what makes us so flammable and allows us to move and think. I don't really know much about it, actually. The science of being a vampire has never really interested me. Carlisle would know better."

Bella tucked her head under my chin, pressing her face against my chest. "This is still so surreal. My boyfriend is a vampire."

I kissed her head, loving hearing her refer to me as hers. I was, completely and totally.

"I've been thinking and you know how you told me that you had never been with anyone else?"

I nodded.

"Is that actually true? I mean, if you're ninety-nine… that's a long time to wait."

"I was telling the truth," I confirmed. "Vampires love differently than humans do. We only fall in love once. If we do, we're mated to that person for the rest of our existence. It's irreversible. Even if a mate is lost, a vampire will never love another person. Vampires who have lost their mates are inconsolable. If their mate was harmed by another, their entire existence becomes centered on revenge."

"Love and sex aren't necessarily connected," Bella pointed out rationally. "I mean, assuming that vampires have needs the same way humans do?"

"That's true. Some vampires have casual sex with other unmated vampires. As long as they're not in love with one another, there's no mate bond and they're free to move on without attachments. That's never been something that appealed to me. Carlisle is the same way and he's nearly four-hundred. Emmett is more liberal, though he stays away from humans. He loves to flirt, but he's too worried he'll hurt them to do anything more."

Bella blinked, recognition dawning. "So that's why you were so worried about Emmett and Carlisle? If they fall in love, they don't get another chance?"

I nodded. "Exactly."

She tilted nervous eyes to mine. "So, you and me…?"

"You're the only person I'll ever love," I admitted, my own nerves bubbling. "It's biologically impossible for me to love anyone else the way I love you."

Somehow admitting that was scarier than the "I love you" itself. What if she decided she wasn't done sowing her wild oats? I wasn't sure how well I would handle rejection.

She smiled. "I think I can live with that. It's comforting, in a way."

I knew she was thinking of the ex-boyfriend who she had quietly confessed had cheated on her. I hated that the dumbass had been allowed the privilege of her love. Anyone who would squander such a precious gift from someone like Bella didn't deserve it in the first place.

I ran my fingers through her dark hair.

"I will never hurt you, at least not consciously," I vowed. "You have no idea how much it killed me, knowing that you were upset these past four days, and that there was nothing I could do to change it. I've never felt more helpless."

Bella's arms tightened around my neck. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I wish I could say that that those four days were a waste, but I needed them. I spent a lot of time thinking about everything you said. You were right. I did recognize that you weren't normal. I was just too stubborn to set aside my pride and admit it."

"We're done with that." I kissed her forehead. "No more apologies, okay?"

She gave me a bright smile. "Deal."

I kissed her, unable to hold back any longer. Now that the apologies and explanations were behind us, I wanted nothing more than to indulge in the intoxicating feeling of softness and warmth I'd missed so much. She kissed me back just as fervently.

"I missed you," she admitted, her breath hot against my lips.

It was amazing how easy it was to slip back into the familiar motions. The torment and confusion of the last few days seemed like ancient history. We toppled backwards onto Bella's bed, still intertwined and kissing like teenagers.

"I like making up with you," Bella sighed breathlessly, her fingers curling into my hair as my lips traversed a path to her ear.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," I murmured. "I don't want to have to make up ever again. We'll be one of those sickening couples who never fight, ever."

Bella giggled, hooking a leg over my hip so our bodies were pressed together in the most delightfully sinful way possible.

"Sounds good to me," she agreed, a huge yawn splitting the sentence in half.

A second glance revealed just how tired she was. Her eyes were droopy and the dark circles I'd noticed earlier were more prominent than ever. She desperately needed rest.

I'd been so happy to be reunited with her, I hadn't realized it was almost four in the morning. We'd spent more than four hours talking. No wonder she was exhausted. Soon morning light would be peeking through her curtains.

I disentangled myself from Bella, amid her protests.

"What are you doing?" She canted herself on her elbows to glare at me balefully. "You cannot keep doing this to me. This is cruelty to… to… women."

I chuckled. "Not women. Just you." I ignored her menacing look. "You're about to pass out on me. I'll be here tomorrow, but for now you need rest."

She nodded, another yawn tearing through her. "Ugh, I didn't notice how tired I was until just now. Now I can't stop yawning."

I lifted her easily, pulling down the covers so I could deposit her under them. She clutched my sleeve when I made a move to pull the comforter over her.

"Stay with me?"

I smiled at her. "I'm not leaving… but you don't want me under the covers with you. You'll be cold."

She shook her head, stubborn even when she was half-asleep.

"Don't tell me what I want."

She pointed at the bed, a silent command for me to join her under the comforter.

I shrugged, crawling in next to her. I wasn't about to fight with her. We'd done enough of that for a few lifetimes at least. I was more than happy to comply if it was cuddling she wanted.

"I usually toss off the covers at night," she continued sleepily as I spooned against her, wrapping her in a snug embrace. "I get hot easily. Esme hates air conditioning, so this is perfect. She gets her heat, I get my cold."

The rest of the house was silent, with only the soft, measured breathing of people sleeping disturbing the quiet. In the adjacent rooms, Jasper and Esme were sound asleep. It wasn't long until Bella joined them, her body succumbing to sleep.

When her eyes opened in the morning, the raw red of the previous evening had been replaced bright, shining brown. She stretched, burrowing deeper into my side.

"Good morning," I greeted her.

She echoed the phrase sleepily, still fighting the remnants of sleep. "What are we doing today?"

I smiled at her sleep-ruffled appearance, wishing I could stay here for the rest of the day. Unfortunately I had to get back to relieve my brother from babysitting duty.

"I have Alice. I have to be back before ten, so Emmett can go to class. I was thinking about taking her out to the pool. You could bring Jasper?"

Bella frowned at the strip of daylight peeking through her curtains.

"The pool? Isn't that a little public? You sparkle in the sun, remember?"

"Our pool, Bella," I chuckled. "Didn't you see that huge fenced off structure in our yard? That's a pool. Emmett had it custom built when we moved here. It's half-indoors, half-outdoors, surrounded by ten foot fences on all sides."

Bella giggled. "Vampires swim?"

I chuckled too. "Yes. Vampires love water. It's fire we don't like. Vampires love hot showers. Swimming isn't all that much different. We don't like the scent of chlorine, though, so we have a salt-water pool. Since we're heavier than we look, it helps us float, too."

Bella flopped onto her back. "It's been so long since I've been swimming… probably not since we lived in Arizona. I don't know if I even have a swimsuit."

"You do. I can smell the chlorine."

I slid out from beneath the covers, heading for the bottom drawer on her dresser, from where the faint chlorine smell wafted.

It only took me a second to locate a few scraps of material that I supposed might qualify as a swimsuit. I fought against the now familiar possessive urge to locate and shred every man who had seen her in it.

I held up the garment. "Look familiar?"

Bella groaned and buried her red face in her pillow. "Oh god, I forgot about that! My mom bought it when I went away for spring break freshman year. She tossed my one piece and snuck that in my suitcase instead."

I chuckled. "You mom sounds–"

"Mean?"

I laughed. "I was going to say entertaining."

Bella smiled, rolling onto her stomach and propping herself on her elbows to face me. She was rumpled and adorable; her hair was a tangled mess, last night's pajamas wrinkled and gathered mid-way up her calves.

"She was. She was exactly what I needed. I was quiet and reserved. She was wild and spontaneous. She kept me from growing up too fast. I kept her grounded."

I tossed the swimsuit at her. "I guess you have to wear it then. It's what your mom would have wanted."

Bella chucked her pillow at my head. "I wouldn't wear that if you paid me."

I laughed. "If you change your mind, I have a little pocket change to spare."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"You've worn it before," I pointed out. "If you hadn't, it wouldn't smell like chlorine."

Bella stood, snatching the tiny garment from where it had landed. "I told you, my mom stole my other swimsuit. It was either _this_ or naked."

I sobered at the mental image she had painted. Either way there was a lot of visible skin. I suddenly really, really wanted her to wear that swimsuit.

"You can wear a shirt over it," I offered, willing to compromise if it meant spending the day with her. She nodded and pulled a tank top from her closet.

"We better get moving," she suggested, "Emmett's going to wonder where we are. It's already nine thirty and I still have to get Jasper ready. He's probably hanging out in his crib waiting for me to come get him. He's the most patient three-year-old you'll ever meet."

Emmett was still feeding Alice breakfast when Bella, Jasper and I trekked in the door with a bag full of pool-wear half an hour later.

Emmett grinned at Bella. "Did you and Edward kiss and make up? Thank god. I was starting to worry about my little brother. He does enough moping when he's not miserable."

I grabbed the spoon from his hand. "I'll feed Alice. You can leave now. Good riddance… I mean good bye."

Emmett chuckled, grabbing his keys. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. You kids have fun. Don't do anything I wouldn't."

"That doesn't leave much," I muttered.

Emmett laughed and raised an eyebrow at Bella. "See what I mean? Grumpy."

He kissed her cheek. "We missed you around here. Make my little brother happy, okay? But not _too_ happy. The rest of us have to swim in that pool." He winked.

Bella rolled her eyes, but stood on her toes to hug him. "I missed you guys, too. I'm sorry I was so stubborn. Edward explained everything to me and I'm doing my best to keep an open-mind."

Emmett patted her on the back, a little too roughly if Bella's wince was any indication.

I shoved him out the door.

"Go bother Rosalie and leave my girlfriend alone."

Emmett said something about not keeping tabs on Rosalie's every move, but I'd already closed the door behind him, past listening to his whining about me and his attempts to embarrass Bella.

Bella snorted. "Well, that's one way to get rid of an annoying sibling, I guess."

"You wouldn't understand, you're an only child," I claimed primly as I helped Alice polish off the last of her oatmeal. I'd thought chocolate was bad. At least chocolate looked somewhat appealing. This stuff looked like lumpy glue.

Bella shook her head, amused by my distaste.

"You make this face when you're around food, like it's the most awful thing you've ever seen. It should have been obvious you don't eat. I can't believe I didn't notice before. It's kind of cute."

I didn't want to rehash our lengthy conversation, especially with the kids present, so I changed the subject as I rinsed out Alice's bowl and put it in the dishwasher.

"Ready to go swimming?"

"Swim!" Alice proclaimed, recognizing the word. Emmett had taken her out last week, and she'd had the time of her life.

Bella took the bait, eagerly shuffling Jasper off to dress him in the tiny swim trunks she'd miraculously pulled out of a drawer. Esme must have taken him swimming recently, since they still fit.

Once I was sure Bella was occupied changing herself and Jasper, I whisked Alice off to the pool house, where Emmett had separate change rooms installed.

I didn't know if I would be brave enough to let Bella see my sparkling skin. She was still getting used to the idea of me being a vampire. I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize our reconciliation. As long as she didn't spot me walking out to the pool house, I could stay in the covered half of the pool while we were outside, and she'd never see me exposed to sunlight.

Searching in Alice's drawer in the change room, I found she had amassed no fewer than seven swimsuits. I selected a blue one with baby hippos, making a mental reminder to tell Emmett to cool his spending habits before we were stuck with credit card payments the size of the national debt.

I was just dipping Alice into the shallow, shaded end of the pool when Bella strolled in with Jasper in her arms. I had to blink twice before the sight registered. She'd put on the tiny bikini, neglecting to wear the cover up she'd insisted on bringing.

"Holy…" I managed to spew oh-so-eloquently.

Bella smiled at me, her expression coy. "You like it? I figured, since it's just you and the kids… it's not a big deal."

I nodded numbly as she waded into the water with Jasper, sitting next to me on the top step. The Swans were the cautious type who liked to adjust to the water slowly.

Alice was more of a daredevil. She didn't mind jumping right in. I'd outfitted her in enough water wings and tubular devices to keep someone three times her size afloat. The second she'd hit the water, she had floated off like a buoy, her erratic paddling sending her bobbing from one end of the pool to the other. I kept a watchful eye on her as she floated about.

"Japper! Come!" she called, grinning gleefully at her best friend, her little arms flailing in the water.

Jasper shook his head at her. He was perfectly happy where it was safe. Unlike Alice, he seemed to grasp that water could be dangerous.

"Swim fun!" Alice added persuasively, but Jasper refused to budge from his safe haven in Bella's arms.

Alice flapped her way back to us. Her motor skills weren't quite up to the task, so I dived in to tow her the rest of the way once she'd bobbed back into the shaded area. I couldn't resist playfully kick splashing Bella and Jasper as I left. Jasper giggled, but Bella squealed, complaining about the cold.

"Me!" Alice cried, wanting to participate in the fun, so I showed her how to use her arms make a big splash, inciting an all out water war.

It wasn't too long before Jasper decided he was okay with the water after all. He let Bella zip him into a lifejacket and water wings and bobbed along behind Alice.

Bella and I slicked the water from our hair, content to watch them drift around as we relaxed on the edge of the pool.

She giggled, her eyes on them. "They're so cute."

I pulled her into my side, wrapping an arm around her waist. "You look pretty cute, too," I informed her.

Bella turned intense chocolate eyes on me, her cheeks three shades deeper than they'd been a moment ago. "Just cute?"

"Sexy as all hell," I corrected, running a hand up her water-slicked skin, from her hip to the small of her back. It was even softer slippery wet.

I'd just pressed my lips to hers when an all-too-familiar voice cut through my dreamy Bella-haze.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Rosalie had perfected the art of the silence. If not for her thoughts, I wouldn't have heard her approach at all.

She hovered over us with her hands on her hips, making me feel like a teenager who had just been caught doing something naughty on his parents' couch.

"We're just swimming," Bella explained with a smile, putting a few inches of space between us. I grimaced at Rosalie's intrusion. We had just been getting to the good part.

Rosalie smiled, her tone nothing but sugary sweetness. "Someone should watch the kids if the two of you are going to make out."

I glanced at the kids who were perfectly safe, kicking and splashing as they bobbed around the pool in their flotation devices. I'd even lathered Alice with copious amounts of sunscreen so she wouldn't get sunburned. It wasn't like we wouldn't hear if something was wrong, anyway. Our bases were covered.

I rolled my eyes. "We were watching them, but _please_, feel free to join us."

Rosalie grinned, tugging her long hair into a knot, taking my sarcasm as an invitation.

"I think I will," she agreed, heading for the change room. She stopped mid-stride and turned to appraise Bella with a wink. "Nice body... for a human."

She was gone before Bella could even begin to formulate a response.

Bella turned wide eyes to me, aware how rare genuine admiration was from the glacial blonde. "Did she just compliment me?"

I nodded. "Seems that way. Even Rosalie can't deny the truth when she sees it. You look hot."

Bella curled an arm around my neck, smiling into my neck.

A splash sounded on the other end of the pool as Rosalie dove in with a perfect swan dive, done changing already. She was wearing a garment every bit as tiny as Bella's. I hoped that didn't make Bella feel self-conscious. There was no reason for her to feel inadequate. She was perfect.

Rosalie surfaced a few feet away from us and raised a challenging eyebrow. "You couldn't wait until I got back? Seriously?"

I shrugged. "What we do is none of your business. You wanted to watch the kids… they're over there."

Rosalie smirked. "Whatever. Just keep the pool clean. I will not share a pool with your spunk."

I snorted, amused that Emmett had said virtually the same thing. They were almost too alike. They shot the whole opposites attract theory to hell.

Bella's eyes widened in shock as Rosalie paddled smoothly to the other side of the pool where Alice and Jasper were floating, her marble skin sending dappled light shimmering across the water wherever sunlight hit it.

"Wow."

I'd been so worried about not exposing myself to sunlight that I hadn't even considered that Bella seeing another vampire might have the same effect.

I glanced at her worriedly, trying to determine if that was a good or a bad wow.

"It doesn't freak you out?"

Bella shook her head, her eyes glued to Rosalie's shimmering form.

"No. I think reality just hit home, though. It's hard to deny that's supernatural. I live in a world where vampires exist… for real."

I nodded, understanding that seeing a vampire in the sunlight for the first time would be something of an epiphany for non-believers. The idea that vampires were real was still new to Bella.

"The first time I saw a vampire in the sun, it was myself," I admitted. "Emmett didn't tell me what to expect and I freaked out. I thought I was dying. You know those movie exorcisms, where the evil spirit literally bursts into rays of light and dies?"

Bella snorted. "You thought you were an evil spirit?"

I shrugged. "Something like that. Emmett had just informed me I was a vampire. He said sunlight wouldn't hurt me, but he didn't explain what would happen. I assumed being a vampire was bad enough."

Bella tore her gaze from Rosalie to glance at me. "You're not bad."

I nodded. "I know that now. It took me a few decades to understand that. A vampire is what I am, not who I am. I'm not inherently good or evil. Who I am is based on what I do, not the body I exist in."

Bella hugged me, planting a tender kiss on my chin. "That about sums it up."

She tilted her eyes to mine, curiosity brimming in them.

"So… are you going to show me what you look like in the sun? Pleeease?" She dialed up the charm, capping it off with a heartbreaking smile. I couldn't deny her a thing.

My stone heart squeezing with the pinch of nerves, I agreed. Not wanting to prolong the spectacle, I ducked under water, resurfacing just outside of the shaded area.

Bella's eyes met mine across the short distance, her mind ever silent. More than ever I wished I knew what she was thinking.

She closed the space between us, reaching up to touch my face. Light refracting off my skin danced across her fingers.

"You're beautiful," she whispered, her fingers skimming my jaw.

I repressed a smile born out of relief more than anything else. That quickly disappeared at the look on her face. We stared at one another for a few intense moments.

Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Now that that's over with… can we make out? I think we're past our daily quota for sentimental declarations."

"You are," Rosalie muttered from across the pool. "And your quota for making out, too."

Despite her wry outward attitude, she was pleased for us. Genuine happiness shone through the tenor of her mind, even though she tried to mask it with indifference.

Bella pulled me close, holding onto me so she didn't have tread in the deep water. I held her back just as tightly, happy to have her in my arms. It didn't hurt that she was nearly naked.

Bella had just pressed her lips to mine for the second time when we were interrupted by Jasper and Alice sending a torrent of water our way.

"Plash!" Alice exclaimed with a gleeful giggle while Rosalie cackled in the background.

Bella wiped away the water from her face, growling playfully at Alice, who seemed to realize she was in trouble. She paddled fruitlessly, scrambling to hide behind Jasper who was just as panicked to get away before Bella reciprocated.

Rosalie came to their rescue, tugging the pair of them out of the danger zone. Bella and I chased them around, pretending to be unable to get them wet.

By mid-afternoon, the kids were exhausted and had gratefully succumbed to naptime. Rosalie had taken them inside to rest.

Bella and I were finally left alone, though we decided we'd had enough of the water, choosing to laze on one of the pool-side lounge chairs together, kissing and making up for the last few days.

"I'm glad I didn't miss out on this," she told me, nuzzling into the crook of my neck.

I hummed my agreement. "It's definitely made everything we've been through worth it."


	11. Chapter Eleven

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the tricky landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. Strong AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_And onward… this story seems to be losing steam, so I hope you aren't getting bored with these guys quite yet. We still have a little ways to go. We're about two-thirds the way through. (See, I told you my original ten chapter estimate would be blown out of the water…) This chapter is a little talky, but hopefully enjoyable nonetheless._

_Thank you to everyone who has been taking the time to comment. Reviews really do make this worthwhile :)_

xx

"How was Carlisle's date?"

There was a subtle tightness around Bella's eyes that suggested she didn't really want to know the answer to her question. Like all of us, she was trying to be happy for my brother, but she couldn't help but mourn the loss of his might-have-been relationship with Esme.

She was fiercely protective of her aunt and hated that Carlisle dating someone else might be causing her pain. Esme was a lot tougher than Bella gave her credit for, though. Esme was more than capable of rebounding. It might even be better for her. Dating a vampire wasn't an easy choice.

"I'm not really sure," I admitted.

Carlisle had remained extremely tight-lipped, shrouding even his thoughts on the matter. He had always been very private, so it wasn't all that surprising. When he was ready to talk, Emmett and I would be the first people on his list.

Bella frowned. "Don't you guys tell one another everything?"

I shrugged. "Carlisle's not the kind to share more than necessary. It stems from his childhood. He grew up with a religious zealot for a father. Any talk of love or relationships – other than those shared with God – was considered sinful. It's a miracle Carlisle is as kind and well-adjusted as he is. He's nothing like his father… but growing up that way has made him hold personal matters close to his chest."

"If he didn't mention anything, it must have gone okay," Bella rationalized, her teeth rutted against her bottom lip. "If he never planned on seeing her again, he'd say so, right?"

I shrugged. "He's never dated anyone before, so there's no precedent."

I paused, unsure how to delicately word what I wanted to say. "Emmett says Heidi is good for him… and as much as I hate to admit it, he's pretty good at gauging that stuff."

"He thought Esme and Carlisle were compatible, too," Bella grumbled with an adorable pout.

I kissed away the crease in her forehead, threading her fingers with mine. "If it's meant to be, it'll happen."

"I know," Bella mumbled. "Stupid, pretty, long-legged Heidi ruining everything."

I chuckled at her curmudgeonly attitude. "You're way too invested. Esme is perfectly capable of finding her own dates, you know."

Bella gave a helpless shrug. "I know… it's just… Carlisle is such a nice guy. The nicest. She deserves that. Hasn't he mentioned her at all?"

Aside from thoughts about enjoying her company and being glad to see her, Carlisle had remained exceptionally neutral when Esme came up. I wasn't surprised. Since he had decided to give a date with Heidi a chance, he wouldn't disrespect her by thinking about another woman.

"Not really. I tend to know everything that's going on with my brothers because–" I halted, realizing I had never to explained to Bella that I could read minds. It hadn't been intentional. Telling Bella I was a vampire and all the explanations that came with that revelation had been enough for her to cope with for the last couple days.

She looked at me expectantly. "Because?"

I braced myself for her reaction.

"You remember how I told you that some vampires have special talents that go beyond the added strength and heightened senses?"

She nodded, her confusion written all over her features. "Yeah…"

"Well, I have one. I would have told you… but I didn't want to overload you with information." I took a breath and forced myself to meet her eyes. "I can read minds."

All of the colour dropped from Bella's cheeks. "You can read minds? As in you can hear what everyone is thinking?"

"Not everyone. I can't seem to get a read on you," I added, hoping she wouldn't notice how much that fact frustrated me. "Remember how you noticed that I sometimes respond to Emmett and Carlisle before they speak aloud? That's why…. they project words to me and I can hear them. I can hear – or see – anything they think about, but they use it as a means of communication. Rosalie's picked up that habit, too."

Bella sighed, tugging on a lock of her hair. "Just when I think I've grasped everything and come to terms, there's more. At least I'm exempt… some of things I've thought about you…" Her cheeks turned pink. "Well, let's just say you'd probably think less of me."

I stroked her cheek, glad to see her colour return. "I'd never think less of you. I've never come across another person who I can't read. As if I needed more proof you're extraordinary."

Bella shrugged, an even darker red creeping up her neck. "I'm nothing special."

"If you ever become a vampire…" I kept my voice impartial, not wanting her to think I was trying to sway her, "that ability will probably manifest into something more concrete. Alice, too… she can see the future."

Bella sputtered. "Alice can see the future? Are you kidding me?"

I shook my head. "It's really kind of amazing how unlikely it was that she would find us. Aro would die to get his hands on her."

I had explained about the leadership in our world and how the Volturi acted as a judicial system and law enforcement for our kind. Bella had been amazed by how ordered vampires were, and that we had to follow rules at all. She had been especially awed by the old oil painting of Carlisle posing with the three rulers in 18th century dress.

"Why would the Volturi care? She's only a baby."

"If she's able to see glimpses of the future now, imagine how much more powerful she'll be when she's older? It's possible she may be able to do more than just see the future… she might be able to manipulate it. That's something Aro would kill for. He's killed before, for the sake of collecting talent for his guard. He plucks the gifted from their covens and kills the remaining members if they won't lay silent."

Bella turned fearful eyes to mine. "Has he ever tried to collect you?"

I shook my head. "I'm sure he's considered it, but Carlisle is a dear friend of his. He respects Carlisle too much to risk destroying their friendship. He's also aware that Chelsea would be unable to sway my allegiance to him. Emmett and Carlisle aren't just covenmates to me; they're my family. Animal blood drinkers can form extremely powerful bonds; ones almost as powerful as mate bonds."

A crease formed in Bella's forehead, her voice carrying a note of hostility. "Chelsea?"

I smirked, recognizing the tone as jealousy. "She's a part of the guard. Her ability is relationship manipulation. She can strengthen or weaken the ties between people. The weaker the bond, the easier it is for her to alter. She can't affect mate bonds, nor strong bonds of love. They're impenetrable."

Bella nodded distractedly, her head probably still swimming with everything she had learned.

"So you're safe."

I nodded. "Most likely. My ability is very similar to Aro's – he can read every thought a person has ever had with a single touch – so I'm not a priority for him. The only benefit to my gift is that I can read the thoughts of everyone in a room at once, without needing to touch them. Alice, on the other hand, is something entirely new. He has no one else like her."

Bella cast me a disbelieving look. "She's only two. You said there are rules against changing kids, right?"

I nodded. "Aro wouldn't dare break his own laws. It could cause a revolt and jeopardize his rule. If there's anything he wouldn't be willing to risk, it's his power as our leader. He might approach her when she's older, though. He could offer her any number of things to join his guard."

"At least she'll be old enough to make her own decision, then," Bella pointed out.

"Technically, we'll be breaking the law once Alice grasps that we're vampires," I added. "Aro could decide to 'confiscate' her, if he discovers she exists. The only exceptions to the 'humans can't know vampires exist' rule are human mates. Human mates are effectively treated like vampires. If they tell anyone else, they're punished the same way a vampire would be."

Bella looked grim. "With death."

I nodded.

She offered a weak smile. "I guess it's a good thing I didn't tell anyone what you said to me, then."

I was surprised. "You didn't even tell Esme?"

I had fully expected that Bella would tell her aunt and possibly some close friends. I reasoned that as long as none of them actually believed I was a vampire, she would be safe.

Bella shook her head. "To tell the truth, I was embarrassed. I didn't want to have to explain to everyone that you wanted away from me so badly that you'd made up a story about being a vampire. I said you broke up with me by making up some strange lies and left it at that."

I combed my fingers through her hair, meeting her eyes. There was an echo of past pain in them. I hated that she had ever thought I would treat her like that.

"I never felt that way."

She shrugged it off, kissing me lightly. "I know the truth now; we're past that." She hastily changed the subject. "So, you said that human/vampire pairs are rare. Are there others?"

"You and I are the second pair currently in existence."

Bella's curiosity was piqued. "Who are the others?"

I met her curious eyes with serious ones. "Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie."

Bella's eyes grew large with shock. "Really?"

"No," I laughed.

"Very funny."

She swiped at my arm, but I grasped her wrist before she could give herself a bruise.

"My cousins Kate and Garrett," I answered honestly. "Garrett was the one who suggested that I let you figure out the truth on your own. When Kate told him, he didn't have a clue. They'd been dating a week."

Bella chuckled. "A week? Wow, that was pretty ballsy on her part."

"Love makes you do strange things, especially when it sneaks up on you. My cousins are kind of promiscuous. Having flings with human men is normal for them. Kate was caught off guard when she realized she loved him."

"So she told him she was a vampire?" Bella laughed. "I guess I should consider myself lucky. You broke the news to me fairly gently, or Alice did…"

I had full empathy for Kate based on that experience.

"She didn't really have anyone to go to for guidance. Vampires who fall for humans almost always change them immediately, before the human becomes aware, so it's not an issue many vampires deal with. She must have done okay, because they've been together for half a decade. That's a long time when you consider that he ages while she doesn't."

"I don't think I want to be a vampire. At least not right now." Bella glanced up at me, clearly worried this proclamation would upset me.

I gave her a genuine smile. Whether she was a human or a vampire didn't matter to me. She would still be my Bella.

"That's your decision," I said firmly, wanting her to understand that I would never take the choice away from her. "I'll love you, regardless. The Volturi won't care as long as you don't tell anyone. A greater concern is that you aren't technically my mate yet."

Bella looked hurt. She tried to mask it, but it was apparent in the nervous hammering of her heart. "What do you mean? I thought you said you could only fall in love once? Are you saying that you don't–"

"No," I interrupted before she could entertain the thought that I would lie about something so important. I pulled her closer, engulfing her in a comforting embrace. "I'm yours for now and always. But until our relationship is consummated, the Volturi won't consider us an official mated pair. The mate bond solidifies after mated pairs are intimate. Marcus would know the difference. He sees bonds between people in detail that even Chelsea can't."

"You're waiting until marriage," Bella sighed.

She tucked her head under my chin, her face pressing to my chest. Her heartbeat had slowed to a more normal rate. It thumped steadily against the place where my own heart used to beat.

I kissed her head. "No, I'm not."

Her head jerked up, her eyes scorching into mine. "But you said…"

"I lied," I admitted, nervous that she would be upset. "I wasn't prepared to take that step until you understood what you were getting into and I couldn't risk you pushing. Now that you know…"

Bella's eyes widened, hope lacing coffee brown. "So…"

I kissed her. "I think we've waited long enough."

Bella fisted my shirt, her heartbeat speeding erratically as her eyes met mine, utterly serious. "You better not be kidding. If you start something, I'm going to expect you to finish it."

"No more holding back," I vowed. "It's not like I ever set out to frustrate you. It's just never been the right time."

Bella scooted so she was straddling my lap. "How about we make our right time happen right now?"

I pushed her back just far enough to meet her eyes. "Do you really want our first time to be like this? On my couch, when Emmett and the kids could walk in the door any minute? He only took them out for ice cream."

Bella sighed, pouting. "Ugh, I hate it when you're rational. Why are you immune to getting caught up in the moment?"

I chuckled, kissing her gently. "I'm not. Being with you makes me feel like I'm perpetually caught up in a whirlwind I can't escape. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how wound up I am, constantly, because of you."

Bella pressed our foreheads together, a slow smile lighting up her face. "I love you."

I echoed the sentiment, unable to resist pressing my lips against the softness of hers.

Fate seemed determined to do everything in its power to keep us apart, because a moment later the familiar sound of a car engine roaring filled the air as Emmett's jeep turned into our driveway.

Bella leaned into me when I tried to pull away, prolonging our kiss for a few seconds.

"You hear Emmett, don't you?" she sighed when we separated, her tone grumpy but resigned. "Have I mentioned that I hate Emmett?"

I chuckled. "You don't hate him as much as I do."

I shifted in my seat, unsuccessfully trying to find a comfortable position once Bella slid off my lap. It was embarrassing how even the barest contact set my body aflame now that I was certain she was my mate. Her intoxicating scent still hung in the air and, even without contact, that was enough to keep whatever I had that mimicked hormones raging with the need to be closer.

Emmett burst in the door, a happy, ice cream-smeared child in each arm.

"What's all this about hating me?" He was far too cheerful. He scanned the scene before him, a knowing look overtaking his smug face. "Nevermind, got it… I can take the kids to the park if the two of you need 'a moment alone.'"

I rolled my eyes at his air quotes and sly grin.

He tried to conceal his plans for the outing, but he wasn't quick enough. I saw a flash of his scheme to use Alice and Jasper to drum up legendary amounts of sympathy with the single-mother crowd.

"Not a chance," I countered, making him curse in his head.

He'd gotten better about restraining himself around the children, though, admittedly, it would have been difficult for him to get much worse.

"I'm not sure why we trusted you to take them to get ice cream," I sighed.

"Maybe because you wanted to be left alone to do naughty things on the couch?"

"Isweam!" Alice announced.

Bella smiled at the kids, ignoring Emmett's unwanted speculation. "Did you two enjoy your ice cream?"

"Isweam," Alice agreed.

Though Jasper remained silent, the smears of blue and pink on his smiling cheeks didn't lie.

"They both had cotton candy ice cream," Emmett explained, "so they should be full up on their sugar intake for the day. I'll watch 'em, though, so you guys can do… whatever."

"The moment's gone," Bella said with a sigh, reaching to take Jasper from my brother.

I couldn't agree more. There was no way I would be able to do anything knowing Emmett was in the next room. I was determined that my first time with Bella would be ours alone. That wouldn't happen if my brother was anywhere in the vicinity.

"So you and Bella are getting serious, huh?" Emmett asked me later that night, after Bella had left with Jasper and we'd finished putting Alice to bed. Carlisle was still at the hospital. He'd been working a lot lately. I wasn't sure if he was avoiding us, or spending more time with Heidi.

It was the first night since I'd reunited with Bella that I would be spending away from her. I was surprised by how panicked the thought of not being by her side made me. I knew she would, more likely than not, be safe. That didn't alleviate my lingering doubts. I explained how I was feeling to my brother.

He was uncharacteristically serious. "That's normal. It's difficult to be apart from a mate, no matter the circumstances. Even more so when your mate is human, I'd imagine. I wish I could help more, but this is something you probably know more about than I do," he admitted.

I shrugged. "I think I'm handling it alright."

He nodded encouragingly. "You're doing great. Humans aren't like us. They need to have their space sometimes. You're giving Bella exactly what she needs. You're balancing her needs with yours perfectly." He clapped me on the back with a proud smile. "I always knew you'd make someone a good mate."

I ducked my head, unused to hearing praise from my brother. Sure, I knew that he loved me, but our affection for one another was usually expressed in the form of humour and teasing.

"She wants to have sex," I admitted carefully, certain I would burst into flames any minute from the humiliation of asking my promiscuous brother for advice.

There was no denying that I needed guidance on what to expect and how to handle the situation, especially given that the girl I was planning on having sex with was human. That didn't make it any less mortifying to ask for Emmett's help.

"You're asking me for advice?" My brother's grin was humongous; you'd have thought I'd offered him my kidney, not a chance to pass on his worldly knowledge.

I nodded, not wanting to inflate his ego any more than necessary.

He pretended to wipe away a tear. "I dreamed this moment would come. I'm so proud. Soon my little brother will be a man."

I remained silent, too aware of what a huge step I was considering to rise to his bait. Emmett seemed to realize I wasn't interested in banter, because he was quick to resume his more serious persona.

"You're really in love with her, aren't you?"

I nodded again. If there was one thing I was sure of, it was that I loved Bella Swan.

"You know that if you have sex with her it'll make it official, right? She'll be your mate forever. No takebacks. No returns. No exchanges. She's all you get, forever. You'll never look at another woman again."

I scoffed. "You make it sound so romantic. You don't seem to realize that I don't _want_ anyone else. Bella is already my mate. I love her. I can't imagine anything will change how I feel about her."

"And that's where you're wrong," Emmett grinned. "Having sex with the girl you love for the first time will be unlike anything you've ever experienced. It'll make your heart feel ready to explode with love. Sex is intense for us… but doing it with someone you're in love with? There's nothing comparable."

"How would you know?"

Emmett shrugged. "I've talked to vampires who've mated. The common consensus is that sex is otherworldly when it's with your mate. I'm not trying to freak you out, but you need to be prepared for something more intense than anything you've ever felt before. And since you've never had sex before…"

Emmett was confirming all my fears. More than anything, I was concerned I'd get lost in the new, heightened sensations and risk hurting the person I cared about most in the world. Intentional or not, that would be unacceptable.

"I don't want my inexperience to ruin it for her."

Emmett grinned at me. "She's not a virgin, right? The worst of it is over for her so don't worry about that. As long as you take your time and pay attention, you'll be fine. I can guarantee she'll help you figure out what she likes."

I inhaled shakily. "I know that. I just don't want to hurt her… with my strength."

To my great chagrin, Emmett chuckled. "If she's your mate, you won't be able to hurt her."

"She _is_ my mate," I insisted, upset by his use of the word "if." There were no ifs about it. Bella was my mate.

Emmett smiled at my adamancy. "Then your worry is wasted. You won't hurt her. The mate bond won't let you. Not to say that it won't take some adjustment… I remember my first time as a vampire. It was intense. It took a little while to find my groove. You'll figure it out."

"That's what I'm afraid of," I admitted in a whisper. "I don't have time to figure things out. If I don't know what I'm doing, I could kill her with an errant touch."

Emmett patted my back. "Your first time will be different. I didn't share mine with a mate. You'll have that feeling of your soul making a connection with hers. Hurting her will be the furthest thing from your mind, trust me. You'll just innately know you could never hurt her. You'll understand what I mean when it happens."

I sighed. For all his explaining, I still felt clueless. Was it really possible to feel that deeply connected to someone? I couldn't imagine feeling more tied to Bella than I already did.

"I hope you're right."

"I am," he proclaimed.

There was a beat of silence that lingered a moment too long.

"I'm kind of jealous of you," my brother admitted, his expression bashful.

I peered at him, flabbergasted. That wasn't the Emmett I knew. "You're jealous of _me_? I thought you didn't want to be tied down?"

He shrugged, his eyes downcast. "I used to think that… but seeing the way you and Bella are with one another… I'm wondering if maybe it wouldn't be so bad."

I snorted, amused by his sudden timidity. "Wouldn't be so bad?"

He shot me a look. "You know what I mean."

I did. And that was why I couldn't tease him about it, as much as I wanted to. Falling in love was tricky business when you were a vampire.

"What about Rosalie?" I suggested.

"What about her?" Emmett's gold gaze burned into mine. Though he was pretending not to know what I meant, he knew exactly what I was implying.

"Would you consider her for your mate?"

Emmett sputtered. "Rosalie? I – I mean, she's awesome. She's pretty… I mean, holy mother of god is the woman hot… and she's – she's the sexy kind of smart, you know? But I – I don't know if she would consider me for her mate."

I burst into a full-out belly laugh. Never in my life had I heard my brother stumble over himself to describe a girl.

"You like her!"

Emmett grit his teeth. "So what? I like lots of people! I like you. Or I used to."

"It wasn't too long ago you were accusing me of liking Bella because I said she was pretty. What was it that you just called Rosalie? Oh yes, I think it was… pretty." I relished the opportunity to get in one jab at his expense.

"That doesn't mean anything," Emmett declared, though he wasn't so sure himself. "We're sleeping together. Of course I like her… I don't love her. I don't."

"But you could," I pointed out cheerfully, pleased to have discovered a topic that flustered my brother to the point of incoherency.

"Can we stop talking about this?" he pleaded.

That tone sucked all of the humour out of the air. I couldn't bear to tease him when he looked so desperate. I sobered instantly.

"Em, you're considering her as a potential mate. I can see you're thinking about it. Hiding it from me won't make it less true. If you want her, at least be man enough to admit it. If I know Rosalie at all, she's not gonna want a mate who's anything less than sure of himself, and of her."

"Okay," he grumbled. "I've considered it, alright? I've never been with anyone like her."

I grinned. "That's more like it."

"But she might not want me in that way." He looked more vulnerable than I'd ever seen him. "She's independent and headstrong. Once she's decided something she won't change her mind come hell or high water. What if she decides she doesn't want me?"

I shrugged, unable to hide my smile. "Then be prepared to fight for what you want."


	12. Chapter Twelve

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Hello, long time no post! I have all sorts of excuses, but I'm sure no one wants to hear them. First, I must thank Jana for helping me get this back on track :) Without her, it probably never would have been done at all._

_I didn't want to start reposting unless I was sure I could finish (if anyone's still reading this story). So I'm happy to say that I have completed all the remaining chapters. This story clocks out at 20 chapters, plus an epilogue. I plan to post a chapter every few days, so you can rest assured there will be no more waiting and this story will be completed!_

_Thanks for the patience, and I hope if you enjoy it, you'll take a minute to review :)_

xx

"Emmett, are you sure you're okay watching Alice tonight? Carlisle won't be home until morning."

I jangled my keys, twisting them between my fingers. Falling back on a human tick was evidence of just how nervous I was, but I couldn't stop myself. Tonight my relationship with Bella was about to undergo a life-altering change, and there was no taking it back. My nerves were already frayed and I hadn't even left for her place.

My brother materialized holding Alice in the crook of his arm, his shit-eating grin larger than usual.

"Yup, just peachy. Ally and I have big plans with this hot chick named Ariel. Don't we, Ally?"

"Awiel!"

I opened my mouth to insist that Alice was not a prop to flirt with girls, but Emmett beat me to the punch.

"Chill. Ariel's the chick in _The Little Mermaid_. The DVD's loaded up with Disney movies, okay? No worries. Go have fun with Bella."

I offered a wavering smile. "Yeah, okay. Sorry."

Emmett clapped me on the back and shot me a wink. "I'm leaving all the debauchery up to you tonight. Do me proud, okay?"

"Emmett…"

He scoffed at my warning. "Come on, bro. Let's not play games. You think I don't know what's going down at Bella's tonight? Give me some credit, okay? You've been a wreck all day. It doesn't take a genius to connect the dots. I know you're nervous, but you'll be fine. The two of you – you're made for one another. I know it's scary, but if anyone can make it work, it's you guys."

"Thanks." I returned his smile, unaware of how much I'd wanted reassurance I was making the right choice.

He grinned at me. "What are older brothers good for, right?"

"Not much," I teased, thankful he wasn't letting me wallow in anxiety. "I'm glad to have finally found a use for you."

He gave me a shove toward the door. "Stop delaying. It's not me you want to be talking to right now. Say hi to Bella for me."

I rolled my eyes. "You'll see her tomorrow, you know." 

"If she's still alive." At my horrified look, he chuckled. "Just kidding. Now leave before Ally and I have to kick you out."

I kissed Alice on the forehead. "Bye Alice."

"Teddy bye!" Alice giggled, pushing my face away.

"I get it, you're siding with Emmy. I'm leaving."

Bella was waiting for me when I pulled up to her house, looking as anxious as I felt.

She greeted me with a genuine smile, accepting my warm embrace. Though it had only been a day since I'd seen her last, I'd missed her like crazy. I hated the few days a week our class schedules and the kids made it difficult to see one another. Texts and phone calls were no comparison to having her in my arms.

"I've missed you," I admitted, wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her temple. The rapid, thumping beat of her heart against my chest told me she was anticipating tonight as much as I was.

"You saw me yesterday." She ducked her head, her cheeks tinting rose.

"It doesn't matter if it's been a week, a day or an hour. If I'm away from you, I miss you."

"Vampire thing?"

"You and I thing."

She shoved my shoulder, but her smile said she was pleased with the declaration. "I love you, too." She grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the house. "Come on, before the neighbours start to stare."

I let her lead me inside, where we collapsed on the couch. She settled herself comfortably on my lap.

Her arm curled around my neck as she planted a soft kiss on my cheek. "So, um, Esme and Jasper are gone for the rest of the night. They're staying over in Seattle to check out a daycare near the hospital."

I swallowed heavily. "I remember."

That was the source of my nervousness. We were completely alone. Neither of us had to worry about a kid, or worse, Emmett. There was no threat of interruption.

"We should take advantage of this rare opportunity." Bella suggested, trailing her fingers over the buttons on my shirt, her eyes guarded but optimistic.

"What did you have in mind?" I feathered kisses along her jaw, the pounding of her heartbeat thrumming enticingly in my head.

Molten brown eyes met mine. "I'm open to suggestions." She popped open the bottom button on my shirt, her intentions clear.

I hummed against her lips as she raised them to mine. Deft fingers plucked at my remaining buttons, her hands trailing along the bare skin of my torso once she had them undone.

When we pulled apart so Bella could breathe, I wasted no time returning the favour. I lifted her sweater over her head, trailing my fingers along the edges of her revealed bra. It was an innocent white, trimmed with lacy frills. The deceptively wholesome garment inspired thoughts that were anything but virtuous. I traced a finger up one delicate strap, delighting in Bella's shuddering response.

Her sparkling eyes appraised my bare skin and rumpled shirt. "We should go upstairs."

Lifting herself from my lap, she extended a hand to me. Disregarding the offer, I scooped her into my arms. She gasped as I released her onto her bed a moment later, blinking at the sudden change in scenery.

"You don't waste time, do you?" she teased, grabbing the tails my open shirt to pull me down on top of her.

Yielding to her will, I allowed her to tug me closer and bestowed her with a soft kiss. "I've waited a hundred years. I figure that's long enough."

Her return smile made my heart feel light. She pressed a palm to my cheek, guiding my eyes to hers. "I'm incredibly happy you chose me."

I kissed her open palm. "It couldn't have been anyone else."

"I love you," she whispered.

I echoed her words, allowing myself to be swept up in the moment, and the warmth and softness of the beautiful girl beneath me. The press of her thighs bracketing mine… her fingers coiled in my hair… her creamy skin and breathless kisses.

Bella pushed my shoulder, reversing our position so that I was the one laying prone on the bed as she sat astride me. The wicked gleam in her eyes made my stomach coil in anticipation. My roaming fingers settled on her hips as she connected our lips once more, her dark hair draping around us.

"Is this okay?" she breathed.

"Better than okay," I murmured, my greedy hands trailing over her hips.

Anxious fingers played with my hair absently. "Just… I want you to know if you're not ready now, that's fine. No pressure. I–"

I shushed her, meeting her uncertain eyes with my sure ones. "I might be flying in the dark as far as experience goes, but I know what I want. Now, later, it doesn't matter. You're my choice. Now and always."

I wasn't sure where my sudden confidence had come from, but I knew I was right. Being here, in this moment, made me forget my fears. I knew I was making the right decision.

Bella's shining eyes communicated everything she wasn't able to articulate. A soft "okay," and a kiss told me everything I needed to know. We were doing this.

With my reassurances, Bella's demeanor morphed before my eyes. The loving gaze was still there, only now it was hidden behind a layer of unconcealed desire.

"Sit up," she commanded.

I followed the order without question, trusting her to lead. Impatient, she tugged on my unbuttoned shirt. As I stripped out of it, she set her sights on my pants.

"These, too," she insisted, unfastening my belt and zipper.

"When did you get so bossy?" I smirked at her determined face. She was adorable.

Instead of flushing, as I expected, she looked smug. "I've always been bossy. Are you just noticing?"

"It's sexy," I confessed, trailing a series of kisses along her jaw. Her hand in my hair tugged my lips from her neck.

"What did I say about those pants?" she demanded, eyes flashing with playfulness.

I smirked, understanding the game. She was in charge. I was her willing subject.

With the fastenings already undone, I shoved my pants down and kicked them off with ease.

"Better," she declared, hooking a finger in the waistband of my boxers, brushing the back of her hand along my now conspicuous length. It was just a brush of skin on skin, but it felt like aching fire.

"Uhhh," I groaned, forcing my hips to remain steady.

As feral as she made me feel, my control was very much in check. I knew innately that I would not hurt her. My mate was far too precious for me to be anything but careful.

She fixed me with wide, teasing eyes as her hand retreated. "Something the matter, baby?"

"Umm," I managed to garble out, quite certain begging for her to put her hands on me wouldn't be polite.

Bella smirked at my lack of verbiage. "I think I know how to fix this."

Her hand slipped beneath the elastic of my boxers once again, this time sweeping down my length with purpose. In an instant, I was awash in bliss. The feel of her small hand was completely different to my own. So, so much better. My world minimized to include nothing but incredible sensation.

When Bella stopped abruptly, I realized she'd been speaking. I shifted in guilt; I hadn't heard a word.

"That good, huh?" she asked with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk.

"Uh huh," I managed in a hoarse voice, as I swallowed a mouthful of venom. Pulling her close, I drew her into an intense kiss, communicating the intensity of my feelings without the need for words.

"Still in your comfort zone?"

I'd made her promise explicitly that she would stop if I felt the least bit out of control. I wasn't willing to put her safety at risk, no matter how painful it would be to stop.

"I'm perfect." It was a gross understatement, but the best my feeble lust-hazed brain could come up with.

At Bella's nudging, I lifted my hips so she could tug my boxers off. She resumed her maddening ministrations, dragging me to the edge of climax within minutes. I shuddered my release, her proud smile burned the back of my eyelids. I opened them to see her staring down at me in wonder.

"That was incredible," she grinned, brushing hair from my forehead.

I chuckled. "Shouldn't that be my line?"

She smirked. "Come up with your own lines."

I opened my mouth to speak but was rendered mute when she dipped her hand into her own pants. I stared unapologetically; the movement of her fingers beneath the layers of fabric was hypnotic. She watched me stare with hooded eyes.

"See something you like? Do you want–"

I didn't need her to finish the question to know the answer.

"Yes."

In an instant I was on top of her, her fingers substituted with mine. This wasn't entirely new to us, not that I minded the repeat one bit. We'd gotten to this point once before, only to slam on the brakes when Emmett arrived home unannounced.

Bella writhed beneath me, groaning her pleasure. I helped her shed her pants and panties, not caring that I'd missed an opportunity to see her in the tiny white bikini briefs that I tossed over the side of the bed. The sight that greeted me was infinitely better. Watching her cascade into bliss by my hand was better still.

I busied myself kissing her neck while she quivered in a post-orgasmic haze. After a few long moments, she flopped to face me, tossing a leg over mine. I trailed my fingers over her bare thigh, luxuriating in the delicate silkiness of her human form.

She cuddled closer, breaths puffing against my shoulder. "How do you want to do this?" she murmured, reaching behind her to unhook her bra.

I watched in fascination as she exposed what lay underneath: flawless, pale skin buttoned with blushing pink.

"What do you mean?" I questioned, cupping the mounds my hands had become quite familiar with over the past few weeks.

She licked her lips. "Do you have a position in mind?"

"You on top?" I suggested, uncertain. "I think it'll be easier to retain control, especially the first time. I don't want to hurt you and–"

She placed a soft kiss on my lips, halting my rambling.

"That's perfect," she purred, arranging herself to join our bodies.

The simple pleasure of sliding inside Bella for the first time was, without question, the best experience of my long life. All the romantic clichés that waxed poetic about the blissful state of orgasm had it wrong. True bliss was being joined to my soul mate, knowing with utter certainty that I was connected to the person I loved most, in every way imaginable.

My prior worries about control and repressing my strength were a distant and unimportant memory as Bella's swiveling hips pressed us toward twin releases. The untamed beast within me loved Bella as much as I did. Nothing was more important to him than protecting her. She was his mate. To hurt her would be unacceptable.

Her hands braced against my chest, Bella ground her hips into mine. I watched, absorbing every detail like a sponge. The sway of her hair brushing against her shoulders. The intoxicating sounds escaping her kissed-pink lips. The way her eyes drifted shut as pleasure was passed between our bodies.

Too soon, Bella gasped and thrashed, my name on her lips. Content that she had found satisfaction, I allowed myself to follow her into the promise of ecstasy.

Bella collapsed onto my chest in a glistening tangle of limbs. I kissed her hair while she cuddled against me in post-coital contentment. I was equally blissed out, reveling in our success.

Bella peeked at me through dark lashes, her chest still rising and falling with exertion. "Was it what you expected?"

I stroked sweat-dampened hair from her forehead. "I wasn't sure what to expect," I murmured. "But reality exceeded anything I imagined."

Bella propped herself on an elbow, her eyes carrying a lingering heat. "Did you imagine it a lot?"

"It was a poor substitute for the real thing," I confessed, recalling the many times I'd pictured what it might be like to make love to my mate. A twinge of desire accompanied the unsatisfactory memories. I hoped someday we would recreate the more intriguing scenarios.

Bella twined our fingers together, gazing at me shyly. "Thank you for letting me be your first."

"Only," I amended.

Bella's smile was warm. "I like the sound of that."

The rest of the night was spent lounging in bed, talking, napping and making love. As fulfilling as sex was, there was something almost as special about watching Bella sleep. That she trusted me to hold her in her most vulnerable moments was a gift I wouldn't take for granted.

By the time the sun began to filter through the blinds, I wasn't ready to give up our little bubble. Staying to laze in bed with my silent mate was tempting, even with the threat of Esme and Jasper arriving home soon.

Resigned to the end of our perfect night, I kissed her awake.

She blinked up at me, adorable and sleep-ruffled. Yawning, she shut her eyes and burrowed back into the bed coverings.

"I was having a really nice dream. This better be good."

I kissed her neck, pressing my naked skin against hers. "Wouldn't you rather wake up to this?"

"It's tempting," she agreed, curling into me, her eyes still closed.

"We have fifteen minutes until we absolutely have to shower."

Bella's eyes sparked open, a gleam in them. "How do you feel about multitasking?"

Forty-five minutes later, we were both fully dressed and showered, sitting across from one another at the kitchen table eating breakfast (or Bella was). I'd been given a thorough education in the delights of showering.

Freshly minted sex addict that I was, the distance of the table separating us seemed like miles. Emmett had warned me that the need to be with, near and touching my mate would be all-encompassing post-sex, but I hadn't grasped just how pervasive the feeling would be.

Bella smirked at me over a glass of orange juice. "Don't look at me like that." She glanced at the clock. "Es and Jasper will be home any minute."

"How am I looking at you?"

"Like you want to eat me."

"Not entirely inaccurate." I sighed at the sound of tires on the driveway. "Esme's home. Should I leave before she gets in?"

My relationship with Esme had remained somewhat strained following my brief breakup with Bella. I got the impression she didn't trust me.

Bella pursed her lips. "She's happy we've sorted things out, I promise. With my mom being… well, my mom, Aunt Esme took over the Mama Bear routine. But she's happy for us… really. She does like you."

"Good to know."

Bella greeted her aunt warmly when she stepped through the kitchen entry, a bored-looking Jasper in her arms.

Bella was quick to take her cousin so Esme could shed her coat. "Hey Jazz. Did you like your new daycare?"

I waved at him, receiving a tentative smile in return.

"Alice?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Sorry, buddy. Alice isn't with me today. She'll see you soon, okay?"

Upon realizing that Alice wasn't here, Jasper returned to studiously ignoring me.

"Hi Esme," I greeted, my nerves on full display. She was Bella's only remaining mother figure. Pointless though it was to crave approval, I wanted her to like me. "How did the interview go?"

Esme chucked at my poor attempt at pleasantries. "It went fine. He starts next month."

"That's great," Bella enthused. "I'm sure he's going to love it."

Esme smirked at our too-interested small talk. "You two don't have to act so guilty. I understand. The house was empty. You took advantage. It's nothing to be ashamed about. I was young once, I know how this works."

Bella flushed. "Well, um…"

"It's nine thirty in the morning," Esme said breezily, "you didn't expect me to believe Edward drove all the way out here this early, did you?"


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Thank you to everyone who took the time to say that they remembered this fic and were glad to see it update. I appreciate it :) Onto the next…_

xx

I was prepared for my brother's heckling, but that didn't make it any less humiliating to endure. His mind was filled with delighted anticipation while he awaited my arrival. He'd heard me pull up to our house and was biding his time, contemplating the best ways to razz me.

He'd been clever enough to lift Alice into his arms, knowing I'd never get into a brawl with him with our tiny ward in the vicinity. He offered me a sly grin when I stepped into our kitchen, intense curiosity roaring from his mind into mine.

"Hello stud," he greeted with a gleeful grin.

I ignored him, unwilling to engage his ridiculous behaviour. If I'd learned anything in over a century of dealing with Emmett, it was that reacting to his banter fueled the fire.

Emmett wasn't deterred. He followed me into the living room. "How'd it go? Is Bella still standing upright? Did you break anything?"

"Bella's fine," I answered in a clipped tone. Even so, I couldn't fight the smile that overtook my face at the mention of the girl I loved.

Emmett was disappointed. "Are you sure you did it right?"

"None of your business, ass." I growled the last word at an inhuman speed, well aware of Alice's copycat phase. I kissed her forehead in greeting. "Hi Ally."

"Teddy." She handed me a doll. I took it, turning my back on Emmett. Maybe he'd take the hint and drop the subject. If only I believed that was true.

"Aw, come on," Emmett chortled. "Don't be like that. I've been waiting for this big brother moment for eight decades. Let me have my moment."

"Moment's up. Moving on…"

Emmett scoffed. "Please. I haven't even begun. Now that you're a real man, there is much to share. Sit, grasshopper. I–"

I groaned my exasperation. "Do I want to hear this? I don't think so. Also, is this the best time?" I nodded toward the raven-haired girl who had paused playing with her dolls to glance up at us with curious grey eyes.

"Like she understands enough to know what we're talking about." He rolled his eyes. "All she hears is blabbity blah blah blah."

"Carlisle said she's at an age where she's rapidly integrating words into her vocabulary. She learns new words every day. We're the ones she's going to learn them from."

Emmett remained unconvinced. "I'll take my chances. All jokes aside… how are you?"

I sighed, resigned that he wasn't going to let the subject go unless I gave him what he wanted. Emmett was notorious for his stubbornness.

"You're asking me? Shouldn't you be talking to Bella?"

"I know Bella's fine. You wouldn't be so… _happy_ if she wasn't. I'm more concerned about you. Sex is a big deal. Especially for a mated vampire."

I offered an uncertain shrug. I wasn't sure how I felt, myself. I hadn't had a moment alone to process everything yet. "I don't know. I feel different, but the same. I already knew I loved her and that she was my forever, but now it's… more."

Alice whimpered, growing bored with our lack of attention. Emmett set her on the carpet so she could totter over to the colourful drawers stuffed with her toys. She plopped down in front of it, busying herself with a set of plush blocks.

Emmett clapped my back. "That's the mate bond solidifying. It makes everything feel more intense." His smile softened into something more serious. "Bella's lucky to have you."

I returned a sentimental smile of my own. "I'll do everything in my power to deserve her for the rest of my existence."

Emmett patted my back. "I know. More importantly, so does Bella."

There was a moment of silence that stretched a little too long. I cleared my throat. "So, um, where's Carlisle?" My oldest brother was supposed to have been back from his shift at the hospital hours ago.

"Hunting. He hadn't been in a while, and we weren't sure when you'd be home, so…"

"I can watch Alice until he gets back, if you have somewhere to be," I offered.

Emmett shifted, his body language radiating discomfort. "Uh, I was supposed to hang with Rosalie. But I don't think she wants to be around me right now."

My chest compressed with concern for my brother. I knew how Emmett felt about Rosalie, even if he refused to admit his feelings.

"What did you do?" I asked, wary that I was treading into a potential minefield.

"Nothing bad," Emmett insisted.

"Define 'nothing bad.' I have a feeling Rosalie may disagree."

Emmett peeked at me, embarrassed by what he was about to confess. "I made a joke about you and Bella, and how the two of you were probably getting it on."

"Continue," I said sharply, now positive I didn't want to hear the rest of this story.

"I told her I wouldn't mind having that. You know, a mate. Someone to be all goopy in love with, like you and Bella?"

"Sure," I drawled, the syllable dripping with sarcasm. "And then?"

"I might have suggested we try it out for fun. You know, to test the waters and see how she felt about me? But she got really mad. She told me I was 'out of my fucking mind.' There may have been some ranting about Barbies and Stepford wives or some shit, I wasn't exactly paying attention, because she hit me with a tree and stormed off."

I couldn't help but snort at the image. "She hit you with a tree?"

"A really big one!" His eyes widened with indignation. "She was pissed. I've never seen her like that. And I didn't even say anything bad!" He shared his recollection of the moment with me. It was immediately apparent why Rosalie was so upset.

I rubbed my temple with a sigh. "You have the nerve to call me clueless?"

"I didn't _do_ anything!"

I shook my head, amused by his ignorance. "Instead of discussing your growing feelings with her, like a normal, adult person, you made a joke about how you wanted a mate. Then you proceeded to suggest Rosalie fill this role, without any other discussion. Do you not see the problem with this scenario?"

Emmett gave me a blank stare, still baffled that he'd done something wrong.

"Rosalie thinks that you want her as your mate because you're jealous of my relationship with Bella and she's convenient," I clarified, concentrating every ounce of effort I possessed into being patient with my relationship-dumb brother.

Chastened, Emmett slumped into the couch.

"Oh." He cleared his throat. "So should I apologize, or…?"

"The fact you need to ask is mindboggling," I groaned. "Not only should you apologize, you need to tell her how you feel. Tell her you want _her_, not just some random mate to fill a void. What happened to being honest with her?"

Emmett shrunk even further into his seat. "I was gonna tell her how I felt! But Rosalie's scary! She's like this… beautiful, fire-breathing, man-eating goddess, and I chickened out. I thought I'd test the waters first, so she didn't rip my balls off!"

"Good going on that."

He huffed, tugging at his hair in frustration. "This is so confusing! I was trying to wade her into this mate stuff slowly."

I sighed, for what had to be the fiftieth time during this conversation. "Go find Rosalie. This time _talk_ to her. Tell her the truth… if she'll listen. She's probably back in Alaska now, roasting an Emmett effigy with Tanya and Irina. I'll hold down the fort here."

I glanced at Alice who was still arranging her blocks, paying no attention to us.

Emmett's thoughts revealed he was torn between following my advice and pretending none of this had ever happened.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," he muttered. I'd never seen my boisterous older brother so meek.

Emmett was in love with the woman, yet he couldn't handle apologizing to her? If I'd upset Bella, I would be on my knees begging for her forgiveness. The very idea of her being angry with me was upsetting. Memories of our short breakup jabbed at the edges of my mind.

"For god's sake, stop being such a pussy and go apologize to your woman," I snapped, irritated with all the unnecessary trepidation.

Emmett guffawed. "What did you do with my goody-two-shoes little brother?"

"Just go," I growled, ready to drag him to Alaska myself. I gave him a helpful shove in the direction of the door. "Don't forget: _be honest_."

"Jeez, I'm going," he grumbled, dragging his feet. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves, and disappeared out the door. The faint rustle of the curtains was the only lingering sign he'd been here a moment ago.

I sat crossed-legged next to Alice, still shaking my head at my brother's antics.

"How are we the most normal ones in this household?"

"Bwock?" She held out a red one to me.

I accepted the offering. "Thanks."

"Fanks," she echoed with a toothy grin.

I laughed. "Very polite."

"Pwite," she repeated, pleased that her repetitions were buying praise.

The ring of my phone interrupted us.

"Hold that thought," I told her, picking up the call.

"Edward?" a frantic voice sputtered on the other end of the line. "Thank God."

It took me a moment to recognize the voice as Angela's. A shot of cold terror enveloped me like ice water. The only reason I could think of for Angela to call me was Bella.

"What's wrong?" I managed to choke out, dozens of horrid scenarios racing through my mind unbidden. "Is it Bella?"

Angela's voice softened. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you panic. Bella's fine. Everyone's fine. I just need your help."

"What can I do for you?" I questioned, my mind decelerating as it processed that Bella was fine. I fought the urge to drop everything to confirm for myself that she was unharmed.

"You know how to fix pianos, right?"

I mumbled an affirmative.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I didn't know who else to call. Professor Banner left me to oversee the production of the student concert while he's on vacation… And, well, Udub's grand piano was damaged when they transferred it onstage. The department hired incompetent movers… and now it's broken. And, um, the repair company can't make it out in time for tonight's concert, and we really need this fixed. We can't cancel… we've sold tickets and there's grades on the line–"

"Angela," I interrupted her rambling. "When's the concert?"

There was an uncomfortable pause. "In an hour."

That would give me less than half an hour to repair the piano if I drove. Good thing I was faster than any car.

"I'm on my way, okay?"

Angela's relief was palpable. "Thank you! Thank you! I owe you huge for this!"

I concluded the conversation, promising to meet her in twenty minutes. Hanging up the phone, I returned my attention to Alice, debating what to do with her. I couldn't very well take her with me. She had proven herself to be a distraction.

I glanced out the window, not seeing or hearing any sign of Carlisle returning from his hunt. It wouldn't be a good idea to call him if he was in the middle of something. That left me with one option.

"How do you feel about visiting Jasper?"

"Japper!"

I wrangled Alice's tiny body into her coat and shoes. "This is going to be a bit different than usual since we don't have time to take the car," I informed her. "We're gonna run. It'll be fun. You don't have to be scared, okay?"

"Scawy?" Alice wondered.

"No. Fun," I emphasized, setting off for Bella's house at an inhuman pace.

A few minutes later a windswept Alice and I were on Bella's street. I walked up the drive at a more human pace, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention.

"Go fun 'gain! Go fun 'gain!" Alice chanted.

"Later, okay?"

Alice's lips curled into a pout. "No later."

"You're going to play with Jasper, remember?"

"Japper go fun?" Alice suggested.

I laughed, knocking on Bella's door. "You're persistent, I'll give you that. But you're staying with Jasper and Bella."

Bella answered the door with a smile. "Couldn't stay away, could you?"

I bent to give her a chaste kiss in greeting. "Sorry to drop in like this. I wish I could stay, but I kind of need emergency babysitting."

Bella frowned, opening the door so I could bring Alice inside. "What's wrong?"

"I need to run to the university to help Angela fix one of the pianos. There's a big concert tonight so I need to hurry, and I can't have this one underfoot."

Bella smirked. "I can see how that would be a problem. Come on Alice," she said, taking the squirming heathen from my arms. "Jasper's going to be so happy to see you."

"Japper!"

I bestowed Bella with another soft kiss. "Thanks for doing this. I appreciate it."

Bella leaned into me with a grin, stealing one last kiss. "You'll make it up to me. Now go save the concert."

When I arrived at the concert hall, Angela was pacing next to the damaged piano. She looked like she was on the verge of bursting into tears. Relief spread across her face when she spotted me. She wasted no time directing me toward the broken instrument. One corner of it was dented, the splintered wood exposing mangled strings beneath.

"Do you think it's fixable?" she asked, her apprehension evident in her wringing hands. I could understand her distress. It looked like a wreck.

I appraised the destruction. "It doesn't look like there's too much internal damage. It's really only a few broken strings. It won't look pretty, I think I can fix it up so it sounds fine."

Angela slumped in relief. "Thank god."

"Why don't you go get us some coffee?" I suggested. "You look like you could use some caffeine."

I could care less about the coffee. It was a convenient excuse to get her out of the room. There was no way I would be able to repair the instrument without use of my enhanced strength and speed.

Angela sighed. "I could use a coffee. I haven't had a break since lunch. It's been one thing after another. This concert is doomed, I swear. I don't know why Professor Banner left me in charge."

"You're handling everything fine," I soothed. "I'll get this piano sounding as good as new. The show must go on, right?"

Her smile was appreciative. "I'm going to get that coffee. I'll be back soon."

The moment the door snicked shut behind her, I unloaded the tools and supplies I'd brought and set to work repairing the piano. I remolded the splintered wood with my hands, smoothing it the best I could. The result wasn't pretty, but I was hopeful it would sound fine. It was fortunate I could work at a pace exponentially faster than a human, because there was no way an ordinary repairperson could have fixed the damage in the allocated time.

When Angela returned with two steaming cups of coffee, I had completed all of the heavy work. My attention was focused on tuning the keys.

Angela gasped at the sight of me at the piano, testing the sound of the various notes. She ran a hand over an undamaged section of the piano's sleek black surface. "You're a miracle worker!"

"It wasn't as bad as it looked," I shrugged.

She handed me one of the paper cups she was holding. I set it aside, hoping she wouldn't notice my failure to take a sip.

"You saved my ass."

"I'm happy to help out." I played a few scales to ensure that all the keys were functioning as intended.

She smiled. "Thank you, really. If there's ever anything I can do for you…"

"I'll let you know." At her doubtful look, I added, "Promise."

With the piano in working order, I was ready to be done with this unexpected excursion.

"Do you want to give it a test before I head out? Make sure everything sounds good to you before I leave?"

By the time I managed to extricate myself from the Angela's profuse thanks, and that of the student pianist headlining the concert, I was feeling drained from the day's events. I wanted nothing more than to collapse into bed with Bella. I might not be able to sleep, but there was nothing more relaxing to me than holding my mate while she slumbered.

I had intended to give Bella a little space to process the shift in our relationship, but found that the thought of being away from her made me feel worse. Deciding space was overrated, I found myself heading for her place.

I pressed the buzzer, unease growing when there was no answer. I tried knocking instead. Nothing.

Trepidation ballooned, filling the pit of my stomach with dread. Where were they?

I stopped in my tracks at the realization I could hear only a single beating heart inside the house. Not caring who might be watching, I crushed the doorknob in my hand, forcing my way inside. My stomach coiled with unease, uncertain what awaited me.

When I'd been here less than an hour ago, Bella, Esme and both kids had been here. Where had they gone? It was already mid-evening. There was no reason for them to leave at this time of night.

Throwing open the front door, I was assaulted with the pungent smell of fresh blood. Forcing down hunger and panic simultaneously, I stumbled inside, following the scent. My head pounded with horrific scenarios.

I gasped at the sight of Esme, sprawled face down on the floor, scarlet blood forming a grotesque halo around her. Though my honed senses told me it was futile, I darted around the house in search of a sign Bella was alive. My panic was so intense I couldn't focus. Between my anxiety for my mate's safety and the powerful scent of fresh blood permeating the house, I felt half-crazed.

There was nothing to be found. Esme was alone and clinging to life. The others had all disappeared into thin air. Even their scents were gone, masked by the overwhelming scent of blood.

Holding my breath, I rushed back to Esme's side. Her heart was still beating, albeit faintly. Careful not to injure her further, I maneuvered her onto her back, unsurprised to find she was unconscious. With the amount of blood lost, it was a miracle she was alive at all. Whoever had done this had no doubt assumed she was as good as dead when they absconded.

Disregarding my bloody hands, I snatched my phone from my jeans' pocket.

"Carlisle? Come to Bella's. I need help. It's urgent." I cut him off when he tried to interject. "Please, just come."

I shut the phone, unable to deal with his concerned questions. Turning back to Esme, I shook her, hoping to wake her. Whatever had happened in this house, she had lived through it. She was the last remaining link to Bella and the children.

I was still cradling Esme's pale, fractured body when Carlisle arrived. His pained eyes took in the battered woman before him. His face twisted with anguish when he recognized her face.

"Esme?" His voice was choked.

He knelt beside me, blood seeping into the knees of his khakis. He examined her wounds with heartbreaking tenderness, his devastation written in every gesture.

"She's not going to survive. She's lost too much blood." His words were flat.

"No," I snapped, my voice cracking on the single syllable. "She can't die. She can't. Whoever did this… they took Bella. I have to find her."

"Edward…"

"No," I demanded, my voice rough with desperation. "Help me fix her. That's why I called you. You're a doctor. You need to help her."

"I wish I could. She's lost too much blood. By the time we get her to the hospital, it will be too late for a transfusion."

"She can't die. You're a doctor! You're supposed to save lives!"

"We could attempt to change her," Carlisle suggested, his words soft. "But she's lost so much blood and her heartbeat is weak… the venom might not spread fast enough."

I didn't even have to consider it. It was better than allowing her to die without a fight. "You changed Emmett. You should do it."

Carlisle's nod was indistinct. His thoughts confirmed that he would try.

Robotic in his movements, he dipped his head, sinking his teeth into Esme's neck. One way or another, her fate was sealed. I watched, brimming with anxiety, as Carlisle battled with himself, fighting the temptation to drink what little remained of her blood. I hovered, prepared to drag him away if need be.

After a moment that seemed like years, he pulled away and darted across the room. Leaning against the wall, his eyes squinted shut as he fought against the base instincts that craved more. Collapsing to the floor, he wiped the blood coating his face onto a sleeve.

Glancing at Esme's still body, I knelt next to him. "You did it. You saved her."

He grimaced, his words tight with the tempting pain of thirst. "She's not out of the water yet. It might not take. Her heart has to hold out long enough for the venom to spread…"

We both glanced at the broken woman left fighting for her life.

"What now?" I asked. Carlisle always knew the right thing to do.

His voice was as listless as Esme. "I don't know."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_I meant to post this earlier in the week, but I got sick and wasn't up to doing anything that required making sense of words. Better a little late than never, right? As always, thanks for reading and to those of you who take the time to leave a comment :)_

xx

It was the inability to do anything that was most agonizing.

As a vampire, I was accustomed to stillness and enduring the passage of time. Never before had time crawled by at such an excruciating pace. Sitting inactive, unable to do anything to find my mate was as agonizing as physical torture. I would have traded places with Esme, who lay wrestling with the effects of venom, in an instant.

Though it had been only three hours since I'd found her, in those 180 minutes my world had collapsed. Everything I had known hours ago had been thrown into uncertainty. I restated what I knew on an endless loop, trying to make sense of what had happened.

_Bella, Alice and Jasper had been kidnapped, or worse._

_We had no idea who had taken them, or for what purpose._

_The same unknown enemy had attempted to murder Esme._

_In Esme's final moments, she'd been turned into a vampire by Carlisle._

_Without any other leads, we were stuck waiting for her to wake up._

No matter how I looked at the situation, it painted a horrific picture.

Carlisle clasped a comforting hand on my shoulder as we watched Esme endure the struggle of transformation. Her limbs twitched in an erratic rhythm. As if to repress her pain, her expression set itself in a permanent grimace.

"She's adapting well. The venom is taking hold."

Carlisle's words carried a hopeful note that had been missing from his usual demeanor. In the last few hours, my brother's usual positivity had been extinguished for good reason.

We'd worked in tandem to clean up the grisly mess surrounding Esme and transferred her into her bedroom. If one didn't know better, it looked like she was aloft in restless dreams.

"That's good," I replied, my tone bland. I was too preoccupied with my own uselessness to offer a more insightful comment.

I wanted to be searching for Bella and the kids. Instead, I was stuck waiting for a woman who might not retain her human memories to wake up.

"I finally got in touch with Emmett," Carlisle added when I said nothing more. "He was with Rosalie. They're both on their way back. They're coming as fast as they can."

I nodded tightly. I knew I should ask if Emmett and Rosalie had solved their issues, but I couldn't muster up the will to care. They were safe. What was some insipid relationship drama when three people I loved had disappeared into thin air? My attention was better spent elsewhere.

"I'm going to take another look outside," I muttered, dismissing the topic. "Maybe I missed something."

Carlisle met my eyes. "We _will_ find them. I swear to you, if it's the last thing I do, we'll find them."

I combed the yard, dutifully searching for anything that seemed out of the norm. There was not a blade of grass out of place, just as had been the case the last several times I had checked. I circled around the house, sniffing the air and scouring the landscape for any sign that would get me a step closer to Bella.

The intermingling scents of concrete, dirt and evening rain mingled. There was no trace of the culprit. It was equal parts frustrating and mind-boggling. How had someone been able to get inside the house without leaving a trace? They had to leave their scent somewhere. I was a goddamn vampire. If my superior senses couldn't catch the faintest whiff of the assailant, what hope was there?

I stopped cold as the answer hit me like a ton of figurative bricks. My quicksilver mind snapped together pieces of information like a puzzle, reasoning out a new theory. I didn't know why it hadn't already occurred to me.

Carlisle frowned when I burst into the room where he was watching over Esme. He stood, his features brushed with concern.

"Is something wrong?"

"I know who took them," I declared, confident in my logic.

Carlisle glanced at me anxiously. "Did you find something?"

I shook my head.

Confusion settled over his expression. "Then how…?"

"Because there's _nothing_. That's it. When we first found Esme, what did you smell?"

"Blood." He grimaced at the memory.

"And?" I pressed.

He wondered where this line of questioning was headed, but scoured his memories nonetheless. He came up blank.

"Was there anything else notable?"

"No, there was nothing. Not a single distinctive scent."

Carlisle's gold gaze was growing concerned. "Edward, what are you trying to say? You're not making any sense."

"Think about it, Carlisle. If anyone was here we should have known it immediately. We would have smelled them. Human or vampire, everyone has a distinctive scent. Everyone except one person."

Carlisle's voice was soft as the answer dawned. "Afton."

I nodded, eager for him to reach the same conclusion I had.

"You think the Volturi are behind this?" Carlisle was hesitant to blame his one-time associates. "That's a strong accusation."

"It's the only thing that makes sense," I reasoned, certain my hypothesis was correct. "It's common knowledge that's how they disappear. They use Afton's gift for altering scent and it's like they were never there. They didn't want us to know they were here."

Countless questions clouded Carlisle's mind. "What would the Volturi want with Bella and the children?"

"They have potential to be powerful vampires," I pointed out. "Bella blocks my gift. Alice is a seer. Eleazar would have known they were gifted. I'm assuming the Volturi collected them. Remember how we said the Volturi would kill to get their hands on Alice? We were right."

Carlisle's doubts were shrinking, but he was striving to remain objective. "What about Jasper? Why take him?"

I shrugged. "Maybe they brought him along to keep Bella complacent? Or as a playmate for Alice? Does it really matter? No reason is going to be good enough."

Carlisle pondered the information I laid before him. "If you're correct about this, we're powerless to stop them. We're three vampires against an army."

"We can't stand by and do nothing!" I growled, unwilling to surrender my mate to the clutches of the Volturi without a fight.

"This is a precarious situation," Carlisle stated, ever rational. "We have to be prudent in how we choose to approach it. Emmett and Rosalie should be here soon. When they arrive we can explain. Together we'll figure out a plan of action."

My hackles rose, raring for the opportunity to protect what was mine. "But Bella–"

Carlisle was soothing. "I understand your mate is in danger. It goes against every fibre of your being not to seek vengeance for her suffering, but please, wait for your brother. We'll be stronger in numbers."

I relented, tearing a hand through my hair in frustration. Carlisle was right. As much as I hated it, I knew he had a point. Feeling just as helpless as before I'd deciphered an enemy to blame, I sunk into the nearest chair.

I peered at Esme's prostrate form across from me. She would wake sometime within the next three days and then we'd be dealing with a volatile newborn on top of trying to figure out how to confront the most powerful coven of vampires ever to exist.

The entire situation was one giant clusterfuck.

Carlisle lowered himself into the chair next to mine. "The situation may seem bleak, but we'll figure something out."

"What about Esme?" I wondered. "We can't take on the Volturi with a newborn to consider. She'll be unpredictable, to put it mildly. We can't leave her here if we go to Italy, but getting her on a plane in this state would be impossible."

"She'll be strong, and most likely be hardwired to seek vengeance for her son and niece. Maybe she'll prove to be an advantage," Carlisle suggested.

I muttered a vague agreement, not in the mood to fight with my brother in the face of greater problems. In reality, I couldn't see how Esme would be anything other than a hindrance.

Quiet descended as we monitored Esme, our anxious thoughts about the impending confrontation filling the room. Ten minutes passed before the silence was broken by Emmett's voice shouting for us.

My agitated brother burst through the door a moment later, his expression laced with concern and fury. Rosalie wasn't far behind.

"What happened?" Emmett demanded. His furious eyes settled on Esme. Rosalie greeted us with quiet somberness, and stood to the side, letting Emmett express his rage.

Carlisle explained the situation in a measured voice while Emmett paced the room like a caged lion. By the time Carlisle had relayed the entire story, Emmett was nothing short of murderous.

"Those Italian fuckers decided to claim Bella and Alice as their property? They had no right! I say we go in guns blazing and annihilate the motherfuckers. We have the element of surprise on our side."

"Emmett," Carlisle soothed in an ever-rational tone. "Do you really think Aro isn't expecting a retaliation? He knows we don't stand a chance against the guard. If we attack him, all we'll do is provide him with an excuse to kill us."

Emmett was doubtful. "If he's expecting us, why go through the trouble of concealing that it was his guard who took them?"

"To delay the inevitable? To piss us off so we attack first? To fuck with our heads?" I offered, each suggestion filled with more venom than the last. "Why does Aro do anything? He's an asshole, but he's not stupid; he knew we'd figure out he was behind this sooner or later. He has Bella. We'd know if he added her to his guard."

"What the fuck ever. We should be in Italy," Emmett declared. "Whatever Aro's got up his slimy-ass sleeve, we can't do anything about it sitting on our asses in fucking Seattle."

I nodded my agreement. I was supportive of anything that would get me closer to reuniting with Bella. Only Carlisle remained uncertain.

"What other choice do we have?" Emmett asked Carlisle. "Aro's not going to come to us. You know he expects us to come to Volterra. His turf, his rules."

"We can come up with a plan en route," I suggested, hoping to sway Carlisle to our way of thinking. Time not spent getting to the source of our problem was time wasted. "The flight to Italy will give us time to think about what we want to do when we arrive."

Carlisle's sigh was resigned; he was outnumbered. "We should take the private jet. We can't leave Esme here. If we're going to do this, the jet will allow us to avoid unwanted questions. I'll let Jenks know we need his piloting services immediately."

Rosalie, who had been silently absorbing the conversation until this point, cut in.

"That won't be necessary. I'm a certified pilot. I can get us where we need to go."

She brushed off three incredulous expressions. "Yeah, I know. I'm full of surprises. Come on, time's wasting and that sleazy fucker, Aro, has some things that belong to us."

I repressed a smile, both impressed and exasperated by her bluntness. I hadn't failed to notice she had used the phrase "us." Did that mean she considered herself a part of our family now?

I glanced at my brother to see if I could get a read on him, but he was impassive. He was in battle mode; all his mind power was focused on our mission. Deciding that now was not the time to ask about what had transpired between him and Rosalie, I set about helping Carlisle with the arrangements that would get us to Italy.

Within fifteen minutes, the five of us were loaded onto our plane in a hangar just outside of Seattle.

We managed to sneak Esme in sight unseen, moments before the flight controller at the tiny airport had declared our plane ready for takeoff. Though Esme continued to twitch in the throes of transformation, her agitated movements had lessened in the hours since she'd been bitten.

Rosalie glanced at us over her shoulder from her place in the cockpit.

"Ready to roll?"

At our collective acquiescence, she set to work flipping switches and gauges like she'd done it a thousand times before. In a single smooth movement we began barreling down the runway. We sat in anxious silence as she maneuvered the plane into the sky with astonishing ease.

While Rosalie helmed the plane, the rest of us contemplated ideas for confronting the Volturi. I halfheartedly listened to my brothers' thoughts, comparing them against my own.

Emmett favoured brute force. He thought if we went in under the guise of peaceful negotiation, we could catch the Volturi off guard, and get into Aro's inner circle without too much trouble. Emmett was sure he could take out the strongest members of the guard himself.

Carlisle considered reasoning with Aro the more logical option. He thought if Aro knew we intended no harm, we could request a recess with the leaders and present our case without resorting to violence. Carlisle was convinced we could persuade Aro that separating a family wasn't right.

When we reached cruising altitude, Rosalie put an end to the stifling silence. She adjusted some controls to set the plane on autopilot and got down to business.

"Okay, enough with the broody silence," she demanded, her tone forbidding dispute. "Who wants to share their ideas first? Carlisle?"

Carlisle's sigh expressed his hesitance. "Aro is a reasonable man. Despite his faults, he's a sensible leader. He knows when to relent and when to stand his ground. We should talk with him rationally, before we consider anything violent. Violence only begets further violence."

"Fuck yeah it does," Emmett agreed, eager for a chance to show the Volturi a taste of their own cruel medicine. "That asshole got himself into this by taking our fucking kid and Edward's mate. He tried to kill Esme! He deserves nothing less than to feel our wrath."

I scrubbed a hand over my face. "As gratifying as that sounds, we wouldn't stand a chance. We can't compete with the sheer size of the guard, let alone their gifted. Alec could take out all four of us in a matter of seconds. As much as it pains me to treat Aro with civility when he refused to extend us the same courtesy, I can't see how we have any other option but to reason with him."

"Do you really think Aro will give us the time of day?" Emmett questioned, blunt as ever. "You know as well as I do that he has no intention of returning Bella or the kids. Why would he even pretend?"

"What we really need is a trump card," Carlisle advised. "Something that we can use against him to force him to see our side."

Emmett snorted. "Sounds to me like you're advocating blackmail."

Carlisle was sheepish. "I can see how it might sound that way."

"And where do you suppose we get something to use against him, anyway? Do you happen to have any incriminating videos you forgot to tell us about?" Emmett's words were bathed in sarcasm. "If anyone should have dirt, it's you. The two of you were practically besties back in the day. Edward and I hardly know the guy. As much as I love me some good blackmail, we need something to blackmail him _with_."

Carlisle shook his head. "Aro's much too clever to leave evidence. There are stories of his misdeeds, but I don't have anything concrete to prove they're true."

"Well great, that puts us back at square one," Emmett complained. "Got a plan B?"

"Maybe we don't need to go after Aro directly," I mused. "What if we target something important to him? What means more to Aro than anything else?"

"Sulpicia?" Carlisle suggested.

Rosalie scoffed from her position in the cockpit. "Yeah, sure. And I'm a brunette. Have you seen the way they treat the wives? They're glorified slaves. I mean they call them 'the wives.' How degrading is that? They're only guarded because of what happened to Marcus. Aro knows that the Volturi would be powerless if that were to happen again."

Carlisle nodded thoughtfully. "Aro has always been obsessed with being a ruler. The guard, they're a physical manifestation of his obsession with power."

"So… what you're suggesting is that to get inside Aro's head, we have take away the Volturi's power?" Emmett said slowly. "Sure, easy peasy. I don't know about you, but I think I'll take my chances trying to tear his head off."

"Actually," I interjected, "I think I might have an idea."

"Well, it can't be any worse than Carlisle's," Emmett groused.

I continued, ignoring Emmett. "When I asked what was most important to Aro, Carlisle's first thought was Sulpicia, his mate. For most vampires, that would be true. The mating bond is sacred, for lack of a better word. Moreso than any law could ever be. A vampire will kill for their mate, die for them–"

"Take on the Volturi for them," Emmett interjected.

"Exactly my point," I said, shooting a glare at my wisecracking brother. "Aro took my mate… what's to stop him from doing the same to any other mated pair? There have been rumours of him destroying covens in the past, but no one has ever survived to tell the tale. What if we could expose the truth – that the Volturi are so corrupted, they're willing to stomp on the sanctity of mate bonds for the sake of strengthening their own power?"

"The vampire community could very well revolt if they believed their mates were in danger of being taken unjustly," Carlisle agreed.

"That can be our trump card," I suggested. "If we threaten to expose the Volturi's debased tactics – with more than just hearsay for once – it could have a very unpleasant effect on the Volturi. A widespread revolt could be crippling. That's the last thing Aro wants. If we threaten to expose their tactics and trigger a revolt, perhaps he'll be open to meeting our demands."

"A threat is one thing," Rosalie pointed out, turning to face us from the cockpit. "Following through is another. He could call your bluff. We would need to make it a legitimate threat to capture his attention. Getting a bulletin out to vampires across the world wouldn't be simple."

Emmett quirked an eyebrow at the statuesque blonde. "You nomads are so primitive. Haven't you ever heard of the Internet? We send out a mass email and bam. It's the click heard around the world. Carlisle carries a lot of weight in the vampire community; with his credibility, our story could get traction. Vampires get upset. Cue chaos."

Rosalie's lips twisted with amusement. "It's crazy enough that it just might work."

Emmett smiled. "Ah, I see you've discovered the Cullen motto."

Rosalie turned back to the controls, adjusting them with practiced ease. She consulted one of the many digital screens.

"Speaking of all things Cullen, we've got another 11 hours before we land at Casa Cullen."

We agreed it would be safest to land on our Italian property, which was located a couple hundred miles from Volterra. It would give us a place to regroup and do additional planning before we confronted the Volturi.

"So this 'Casa Cullen' has a private runway, huh?" Rosalie was impressed. "I'm going to take a shot in the dark and guess that this 'casa' is indeed a castle?"

"It's not a cast-" Carlisle started to say, but was cut off by Emmett.

"It's a fucking castle, bro, let's be honest."

"A castle typically has some historical significance that makes it a castle," Carlisle explained with unwavering patience. "Our estate lacks the historical depth of a true castle."

"Actually," I interjected, "the word castle is derived from the Latin word _castrum _which means _fortified place_. Seeing as our estate was built with fortified security to ensure our privacy, Emmett is technically correct in saying it's a castle."

"Dorks," Rosalie coughed under her breath.

Emmett was smug. "Whatever. Mr. Look-At-Me-I-Know-Latin said I was right."

"I met Bella in our Latin class," I mumbled, morose. I would forever associate the language with her.

I'd been so busy scheming how to find her that it hadn't sunk in that she was _gone_. My mate had been taken_._ There was a distance separating us that I might never be able to bridge. I didn't know if I'd live to see her again. I wasn't even certain she was still alive. Everything we were planning was based on guesswork and uncertainty. I could only pray we were on the right track.

Emmett was instantly remorseful. He hated seeing me despondent. His big brother's instinct to protect me was prevailing.

"Shit. I'm sorry. We're going to get her back. Okay?"

All I could do was offer a strained nod.

If my theory was correct – that Aro had recruited Bella for her potential gift – there was a chance that she was still alive. I would hold on to that knowledge at any cost. Whether she was a human or a vampire was irrelevant; I wanted her back by my side where she belonged.

Emmett's mind was hard at work figuring out how to fix the situation.

"So about that email list..."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Thanks for the continued support everyone, and to Jana for keeping me on track posting this story. At the bottom of the chapter, I have a special extra for all of you who have taken the time to read this story :)_

xx

It was pitch dark when we touched down on Italian soil. Despite the inky blackness that surrounded the plane from all angles, Rosalie had no problem navigating the aircraft along the concealed runway.

Under the cover of darkness, we relocated Esme inside. Bringing her to Italy served a dual purpose. Besides being unable to leave her in Seattle, our Italian estate would be a perfect place for her to wake up as a newborn. Situated on several acres of land, it would be ideal for keeping her concealed while providing ample fauna to hunt. Out in the Italian countryside, no one would recognize her even if she were to be spotted.

After getting Esme settled, we spread out to research and fact-check the lengthy list of emails that we had managed to compile on the plane. An accidental typo could have dire consequences if the recipient wasn't the intended vampire. It was crucial that each and every one of the emails was verified before being added to our send list.

With nothing but a laptop and some ingenuity, Emmett was able to hack into email databases and retrieve valuable information.

By the time night fell for a second time, we had compiled a significant list of friends, acquaintances, and even strangers, to receive our message.

We weren't naïve enough to think that all of the vampires on our list would be sympathetic to our cause. Though mate bonds were one of few things held sacred by vampires, those who weren't mated found it difficult to comprehend the intensity behind a mate bond. Without that experience, it was impossible to sympathize with the devastation of being unwillingly separated from a mate.

Ambivalence was only one of many possible concerns. Fear of retribution added another layer of complication.

We were pinning our hopes on our story being fuel to a fire that was already burning. Horrifying tales of the Volturi's misdeeds had been circulating for years. Stories about covens torn apart, their gifted collected like trophies. Fear and quiet anger simmered amongst the vampire community, but no one dared challenge the mighty force the Volturi presented.

No one could confirm a single one of the tales, after all. Afton and Demetri made up a meticulous cleaning crew, able to find and erase anyone who dared to think a malicious thought about the Volturi. If we could get our story heard; we'd be the first. To say our plan was risky was an understatement. Still, it was all we had, and if meant a chance at having Bella back by my side, I was all in.

"136," Carlisle calculated. We had all gathered in the living area to take a break and consolidate our progress. "Altogether, we've been able to confirm email contact for 136 vampires."

Emmett and Rosalie exchanged doubtful glances.

"Is that enough?" Emmett questioned. "We're betting a whole fucking lot on the fact that enough of these people will care what the Volturi are doing. What if they don't? What if they all think, 'as long as it's not me?' and move on with their lives?"

"Next time it might be them," Carlisle pointed out, his tone nonjudgmental. "Those with foresight will understand that not standing up now means danger will always loom on the horizon."

"Carlisle's right," Rosalie decided. "We're appealing to people to protect themselves."

"It won't come to that," Carlisle suggested, always one for optimism. "The Volturi still have an opportunity to do the right thing and release Bella and the children."

I nodded. "Sending the email is our last resort if they refuse to listen. It's possible we won't have to involve anyone else. We need to be prepared, just in case."

"We're prepared," Rosalie insisted. "We'll be able to contact the majority of the vampire population with this list. 136 might not sound like much, but that's easily more than half of the vampires on the planet."

"I agree," I offered. "We've done what we can."

"So what's our game plan?" Emmett questioned, pushing the laptop in front of him away with a sigh. "I'm done with all this… technical shit. If I have to look at another line of source code, I'm going to snap. "

I grimaced. "I wish it hadn't taken so long. It's been almost 48 hours since we found Esme. That's a long time for a human to exist in a world teeming with vampires."

"Edward," Carlisle said softly, "you need to be prepared for the possibility that they've already changed her. If our theory is correct, as a human, she's a liability to them. As a vampire, she has value. The kids, they'll groom until they're old enough, like they did with Alec and Jane… but Bella's an adult. Keeping her human would serve no purpose."

I scowled, angry at the thought that my mate might have been forced into becoming a vampire because of her association with me. I had hoped she would choose to be with me forever, of course, but I had always assumed the decision to become immortal would be at her discretion.

"I'm well aware that's a possibility," I gritted out.

Carlisle clasped my shoulder. His soft expression reminded me of the one my father would wear when he sat me down to have a difficult discussion.

"I know this has been hard on you. I can't imagine how you've felt these past few days."

"I'm fine," I replied, my tone short. "We should focus on Bella and the kids. They're the ones who need us now."

Carlisle nodded, accepting my refusal to discuss the matter.

"We're ready to leave when you are, Bro." Emmett clapped me on the back and handed me a disposable smartphone. "The email's set."

He retrieved two identical phones from the coffee table. He passed one to Carlisle and tucked the final one into his own pocket.

"I've set these babies up so all we have to do it click this button, and the email gets sent out. One press and it's irreversible. I've set it up so that it's impossible to cancel once it starts to load. I figured it would be best if we each have one, just in case."

I glanced at Rosalie, wondering why my brother hadn't given her one. Rosalie understood where my thoughts were. She glanced at me and crossed her arms, her stance defensive.

"I wanted to come, but someone needs to stay with Esme. Emmett and Carlisle wouldn't consider leaving your side. So… it's me. Emmett rigged the email up on my computer. If I don't hear from you within an hour, I'm supposed to send it, in case Aro sets Alec off on you, or something. I'm your backup." She glared at me. "Don't make me use it, alright?"

She bit her lip, the emotions behind her tough exterior more earnest than I'd ever seen them. The brief moment of tenderness was gone in a flash, replaced with the icy fire I was accustomed to.

"And _don't_ let your dumbass of a brother do anything stupid. If Aro doesn't get to you first, _I'll_ kill you."

"Noted."

Emmett was distracted, boasting about his technical wizardry to Carlisle. It gave me the opportunity to say something I'd been meaning to get off my chest.

Confirming Emmett was distracted, I muttered, "Rosalie, I know it's probably not my place… but if my brother hasn't told you already, he loves you. I know putting up with him for the rest of your existence might seem impossible, but he's worth–" I halted as Emmett's thoughts flickered in our direction, mid-conversation with Carlisle.

Rosalie smiled as Emmett's gaze shifted to her. It was impossible to miss the lightness that overtook his features. Rosalie's expression remained unreadable.

She spoke to me silently, her eyes still on Emmett.

_Your brother is many things, but subtle is not one of them. Of course I knew. He didn't have to say the words. We're working on it. I… care about him. For a long time I thought I was incapable of caring about anyone but myself. But I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I don't know what it is, but there's something about you Cullens that makes people _want_ to love you._

Without waiting for a reaction, she turned her attention to Esme, effectively dismissing me.

I stepped over to where my brothers were still discussing the merits of Emmett's tech genius. I had to give credit where it was due; he'd done an amazing job rigging up the email. But that wasn't what I needed to say to them now. It must have been something about facing uncertain death that was making me prone to sudden sentimentality.

"I know I've been… _difficult_ to live with the past couple days," I admitted to the two men who meant more to me than any others. "You guys have been nothing but supportive. I wanted to say thank you."

Emmett punched my shoulder, the lighthearted gesture belying serious thoughts. "I promised mom and dad I'd take care of you, little brother. I don't make promises I don't keep."

"I know."

He offered me a half-smile. His thoughts were on our impending showdown with the Volturi.

"You ready to head out? Carlisle was saying it's probably a good idea to get to Volterra while it's still dark. Some nights, when he's in a good mood, Aro lets favoured members of the guard leave to hunt free range. We might face less opposition."

"It's not every night," Carlisle nodded, "but it's a possibility."

"I'm ready to go."

I doubted Aro would diminish his guard if he was expecting us – Demetri would know we were in Italy by now – but I wasn't about to turn down a possible advantage, no matter how small the chance.

We said our goodbyes to Rosalie, promising not to take unnecessary risks. Carlisle and I stepped outside, allowing Emmett and Rosalie a moment to themselves, with as much privacy as we could afford in the circumstances.

Emmett was all but skipping when he shut the door behind him and joined us. He shoved me as he passed me and took off running, his words trailing in this wake.

"Last one to Volterra has to fight the next bear I catch!"

Even with a head start he didn't stand a chance. I could outpace him with ease.

Carlisle laughed at my hesitance. "Go ahead. I'll catch up with you."

I set off at a sprint, allowing myself to indulge in the heady feeling of pushing myself to my limit as I tore through the forest after my brother. It only took a couple miles for me to catch up with him, and another to get a solid lead. I could hear Carlisle and Emmett's thoughts in the distance, but they were faded, the miles separating us making them seem weak.

_Asshole. You could let me win just once, you know!_

"Not a chance," I muttered into the empty forest, even though the words probably wouldn't carry to his ears.

We were both too competitive to purposefully throw a race. Our father had claimed that was our mother's Irish influence.

One moment I was laughing at Emmett's stupidity, the next I was careening toward the forest floor, bowled over by something silent attacking me from behind.

I gasped as I hit the ground hard, surprised by the unexpectedness of the attack. I could hear the tenor of my brothers' thoughts still miles away. Growling, I flipped myself over, prepared to throw off my attacker when I caught sight of familiar mahogany hair.

"Bella?" I gasped in astonishment, just as she sunk her teeth into the flesh of my neck.

I groaned at the unexpected surge of pleasure emanating from where my mate, my very _vampire_ mate, had bit me.

"Edward!" she cried, wrenching herself away. She sounded close to tears. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bite you! I was just so happy to finally find your scent… and next thing I know, I'm trying to kill you!"

My relief was profound. Vampire or not, I'd missed her with an intensity I couldn't articulate. I noted with only a sliver of disappointment that her mind was still silent. That must have been how she had managed to sneak up on me.

Not caring that we were covered in dirt and dead leaves, I clung to her, drinking in the unexpected sight of her like a man dying.

The once smooth planes of her face were now flawless cream. Her delicate features were familiar but somehow softened. Even her colouring had transformed. Her once dark brown waves were a lustrous brown swept with reddened hues. I longed to run my hands through the shiny mass.

"You weren't trying to kill me," I promised, pulling away just enough to brush a thumb over her smooth cheek. "You were telling me you loved me. You were claiming me as yours… marking your territory."

She glanced at me, her expression full of doubt. Embarrassment shone in her now crimson eyes. "Um, well that's good to know, because it felt really_, _um, _nice_."

I smiled at her darkened gaze, knowing with certainty that she felt every ounce of the surging pleasure that I had.

"For me, too," I assured, kissing her forehead and cheeks, and anywhere else my lips could reach. My hands roamed from her hips to the small of her back, confirming she was real. "It's one of the ways we show affection."

She combed dirt and leaves from my hair, her touch as tender as her gaze.

"You're not just saying that? I really didn't hurt you?"

"You didn't hurt me," I promised, pressing the evidence of that against her willing body.

A loud, intentional cough broke though our bubble. Bella and I glanced up, surprised to find my brothers hovering over us. She growled at them, springing up to stand over me in a defensive pose.

I gripped her hand, wary that she might unintentionally hurt them for getting too close. She wasn't used tempering her instinct to protect.

"Jesus," Emmett groaned in repulsion. "We've been trying to get your attention _forever_. We were worried we were going to have watch you get it on right in front of us. That's something a brother should _never_ have to see."

I sat up, trailing my fingers up my mate's forearm to return her focus to me. "Bella," I soothed, "you remember my brothers? Emmett and Carlisle?"

Bella nodded, her inhale shaky. The unrecognized vampire scents were setting her on edge.

Feeling safe to do so without upsetting her, I stood from my sprawled position, wrapping my arms around her from behind. I hoped that standing behind her would assuage her instinct to put herself between me and the intruding vampires.

Bella stared at the ground, chastened. "I'm sorry, of course I remember. I'm just not used to this." She gestured down at herself, upset with her body's inability to fight the instinctual actions.

I glanced down at her torn clothing, trying desperately not to notice her exposed skin. She was wearing the same clothes she had been wearing when I had seen her last, though they were torn and worse for wear.

Carlisle offered Bella a genuine smile. "You're demonstrating unbelievable control for a newborn. That you're able think rationally enough to carry on a coherent conversation is extraordinary. Most newborns are feral for the better part of a year."

Bella sniffed. "I growl at the slightest movement! And - and I bit Edward! I don't feel rational."

Emmett chuckled. "That's completely normal. Vampires are driven by instinct. As your mate, Edward makes you react more strongly than anyone else. Your instincts tell you to protect him, even at the cost of your own life."

Bella frowned. "He doesn't need me to protect him."

"I think you'd be surprised. He's kind of been a wreck without you. Besides, like I said, it's instinct. Whether he needs you to or not, your instincts insist you protect him."

"Perhaps you should explain how you found us," Carlisle suggested. "I imagine it's a long story."

Bella scowled. "The Volturi. They came for Alice. I think at first they were planning to take only her… but the one called Eleazar said that Jasper and I were also gifted. So they agreed to take us as well."

Carlisle was surprised, as were the rest of us. "Jasper has a gift? That's why he was spared. Did Eleazar explain the nature of his talent?"

Bella shook her head, frowning. "After Eleazar stopped them from killing us, Aro touched his hand – Edward said he can read minds that way, right?"

"That's right," I said, holding her closer, indulging my unabashed need to touch her and assure myself she was indeed with me.

"That's what I thought. It's hard to remember now. My memories are… unfocused. I remember things about Edward more than anything else."

"Human memories are often that way," Carlisle explained. "Your mind instinctively protects memories that are important to you. It makes sense that you remember Edward's words most clearly – it's your mind's way of ensuring you remember your mate."

"What happened after Aro learned you and Jasper were gifted?" Emmett questioned. Anger at the cruel way our family had been treated simmered beneath his calm façade, but he was wary of frightening Bella and setting her off.

Bella's face crumpled. She turned in my arms, clinging to me so tightly I had to wince to keep quiet. She would be angry with herself if she thought she was hurting me.

"Esme and I pleaded with them to stop, but they ignored us. We couldn't do anything. They tossed us aside and took the kids. We had no choice!"

"It's okay," I soothed when her fingers tore through my shirt in agitation.

"Aro commanded Alice and Jasper be taken away. They were both screaming, scared out of their minds, but he didn't care. Once they were taken outside, he told someone to change me and dispose of the spare. I remember Esme crying and begging. I tried to reach for her, but I was dragged away. That's when everything went black… I don't remember anything after that."

"Your transformation," I suggested. "If it started then… that means it's been less than two days."

"That's incredibly short," Carlisle noted. "Most last at least 48 hours. Usually it's three days or more."

Bella bit her lip so hard it cracked. Her voice was trembling. "Is… is Esme dead?"

I stroked her hair, offering what comfort I could. "No. She's going to be like us. We got there in time for Carlisle to save her. Rosalie's with her now, in case she wakes up. She was badly injured and lost a lot of blood. Her body needs more time to repair itself than yours did."

Bella's exhale was cool against my neck. "Thank god."

"She'll be fine," I promised. "Well, as fine as we ever are."

Bella smiled weakly, still clinging to me. "If she's anything like you guys, she'll be perfect."

"Damn straight," Emmett boasted in an attempt to lift the mood. It worked. Bella sniffled a small chuckle.

"What happened when you woke up?" I pressed, still holding her close. "How did you find us? How did you know we were in Italy?"

"It happened kind of slowly," Bella explained. "Coming to consciousness, I mean. I could hear what was going on around me, but I couldn't do anything… like I was paralyzed. I could hear two Volturi in the room, talking. They mentioned all of you–"

"What about us?" Emmett frowned.

"The one named Alec said that someone named Demetri was keeping tabs on you and that you had come to Italy looking for me. The other one, Jane, asked where you were. Alec didn't know. He said Demetri had been vague – it was somewhere to the north, near the French and Swiss borders."

Carlisle nodded. "That's fairly accurate. We're less than 10 miles from where the Italian border intersects with the French and Swiss borders. If that was your only source of information, it's a miracle you were able to find us. I imagine it's akin to finding a needle in a haystack."

Bella shrugged, "I've been running around the area for hours, searching for any sign of you. When I found Edward's scent, I just knew that whoever that was… they belonged to me. So I, um…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"Attacked him?" Emmett finished with a smirk.

Bella ducked her head. "Um, yeah. A mate thing?"

I smiled at the return of my shy Bella. "Yes."

"But how did you get away?" Carlisle inquired. "I imagine Aro had you confined. He wouldn't risk losing you. Leaving two diminutive vampires to guard you seems risky."

Bella shrugged. "I guess they didn't think I was a threat?"

"As a newborn you would easily overpower them, "Emmett frowned. "It doesn't make sense."

"Jane and Alec are skilled at restraining people with their talents," I pointed out. "Perhaps Aro assumed physical strength would be unnecessary?"

"They said that I was a shield," Bella added. "They were laughing about it, actually. Jane said I was going to be a pathetic addition to the guard; Aro already had a shield, Renata, so why would he want another?"

"I think they misunderstood what type of shield you are," Carlisle theorized. "Hypothesizing on the basis that you're able to block Edward's telepathy… it makes sense to assume other mental gifts would also be ineffective. Renata, on the other hand, is a physical shield. She prevents others from getting close to her, physically."

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe."

"What happened next, love?" I encouraged.

Bella's red eyes met mine, flaming with anger. "They were laughing and Alec said that I _was_ useless. That the only reason Aro wanted me was because it would mean _you_ would come to Volterra to be with me."

Emmett gaped. "You mean all this shit… it was Aro's attempt to recruit Edward?"

"Bella–" I started, guilt clawing in my stomach.

She shot me a lethal glare that silenced me in an instant.

"Edward, don't. I don't blame you. I wanted to be with you, even knowing the risks. I still do. Forever, remember?"

I pressed my forehead to hers and swallowed the sudden well of emotions clogging my throat.

"Forever," I assured.

Carlisle, who had been mostly quiet, pondered all the information Bella had provided. "If the Volturi were scouting Edward, that explains why they were in Seattle," he surmised. "They were surveilling Edward."

"And happened to stumble into a goldmine when they discovered Alice," Emmett concluded. "She was too much for Aro to resist."

"Exactly," Carlisle agreed.

"So… they waited until the girls were left unprotected and took what they wanted. Fucking cowards," Emmett spat.

"How did you manage to get out of the compound?" I asked Bella. "The Volturi's underground complex is a maze, even for the well-informed."

"It wasn't underground. There was a basement window in the room."

"So you went out through the window?"

She nodded, her gaze turning stormy. "When Alec said those things about you… I got so… angry. I don't know how else to explain it."

I squeezed her hands in a supportive gesture, but her tempestuous expression remained firmly in place.

"One second I was frozen, and the next I was moving across the room and Alec's head was in my hands. Jane freaked out. She was screeching about her brother and how Aro was going to punish me, but not until after _she_ was done with me. She got this weird look on her face, like she was waiting for something. Then all of the sudden she was panicking and trying to run."

"Then what?" Emmett asked eagerly, his grin threatening to split his face. He was enjoying Alec and Jane's throwdown a little too much.

"I kicked her ass, and tore off her head," Bella admitted, a hint of pride in her smile.

Emmett's grin grew larger. "It's about time someone beat down those smug little assholes and gave them a taste of their own medicine."

Bella shrugged, like defeating two trained Volturi soldiers was no big deal. "I was _really_ mad. It wasn't like I set out to kill them. It just… happened." She seemed mystified by this strange turn of events.

Emmett, on the other hand, was impressed. "You win at being a vampire. I would have paid anything to see that hideous little witch's face when you tore her head off."

"You didn't kill them," I explained to Bella. "Killing a vampire permanently requires fire. You just stopped them temporarily."

"Unfortunately," Emmett said darkly.

"Emmett," Carlisle scolded.

"What? Like they wouldn't kill us if they had the chance! Geez, we've spent the last two days trying to figure out how _not_ to get killed by them."

"Can we let Bella finish her story?" I muttered tersely.

Bella shrugged. "There's not much else to tell. I took Jane's robes in case I needed a disguise when I got outside, broke the window and got the hell out of there."

"You stripped her, too?" Emmett guffawed. "Priceless. That little terror will be out for blood if she ever sees you again."

"I pulled the hood down and ran as fast as I could when I got outside," Bella continued, ignoring my brother. "When I was far enough away that I didn't feel in immediate danger, I did what they taught us at camp to avoid being tracked; I crossed water and travelled in circles, crisscrossing my own path."

The three of us were impressed by her ingenuity, but Bella didn't seem to notice. It was probably due to her clever thinking that she hadn't been found. With her mind off his mental radar, Demetri's skill would have been useless in tracking her.

"I found a map," Bella dug a tattered European tour guide from her equally torn pocket, "then headed for where Alec said you were supposed to be. I've been scouring the area for hours looking for any sign of you."

"We were lucky you stumbled onto my scent," I admitted. "We were on our way to Volterra. You could have missed us."

Bella offered a sheepish smile. "Maybe destiny gave us a helping hand? I don't believe in lucky coincidences."

"I do," I confessed. "Since the moment I met you. Lucky doesn't cover it."

"It was destiny," Bella corrected with a smile.

"Enough with the simpering and googly eyes," Emmett groaned, making a gagging noise. "We've still got some kids to rescue. Alice and Jasper? Sound familiar?"

Bella's expression was contrite. I found it difficult to feel the same. After what Bella had been through, I figured we had earned a moment to ourselves.

Carlisle turned to Bella, anxious for anything we could use to aid our mission. "When you were in Volterra, did you hear anything about Alice or Jasper? See any sign of them?"

Bella's eyes were downcast. "I don't think so. I smelled humans, though. There were so many lingering scents it was hard to distinguish them from one another. Some of them were human, but I wouldn't have been able to recognize Alice or Jasper. People smell different now – I don't think I ever noticed they had a unique smell before now."

Carlisle was fascinated by her restraint. "How were you able to resist the urge to seek out blood? After smelling a human, you shouldn't have been able to help yourself."

Bella's hand rose to press against her throat. "My throat does hurt. I've been ignoring it – I knew it was more important to find you."

"Incredible," Carlisle muttered.

"You've been so strong," I praised my mate, astounded by her strength and bravery once more. "I don't know how you were able to maintain that level of control while travelling across the country. A single human scent should have set you off on a killing spree. What you endured…"

Carlisle was just as puzzled as I was. "It's nothing short of miraculous. I've never seen a vampire with such a natural capacity for regulating instincts. We've struggled for years to achieve the level of control we have, and even then it's not always easy."

Bella shrugged, not recognizing her behaviour as extraordinary. "I knew what I had to do, so I did it."

"We should find you something to drink now," I told her. "It'll make your throat feel better."

Bella looked at me with innocent eyes. "You'll teach me how to hunt?"

xx

_Now that we're safe from spoilers… anyone who reviews this chapter will be sent Bella's POV of the last few chapters. I started her POV to keep myself on track with the plot and get an idea of what happened to her after she was kidnapped, but I'd like to offer it up as a thank you to all of you :) If you don't feel like reviewing, no worries, it'll be posted for all to see the end of the story._


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Thank you to everyone for the great response to the last chapter, and those of you who took the time to PM your thoughts on the bonus chapter, too. It means a lot to me! On to the next chapter… we're closing in on the end!_

xx

Watching Bella hunt was a revelation. To say the experience was erotic was putting it mildly. I was glad Emmett and Carlisle had left us to our own devices, seeking out meals of their own.

"You're a natural," I informed her, drinking in her lithe form as she pounced on a lynx.

She moved with an effortless refinement, as though she'd spent years perfecting the graceful movements rather than mere hours. Her kill had been relatively neat, too, especially for a first timer. Watching her drain the feline could have easily been grotesque. Instead, as soon as she discarded the drained animal, I found myself pulling her close and kissing the remnants of blood from her lips.

She growled a soft sound of pleasure as I licked the last of the blood from her lips. Caught up in the moment, she shoved me against a tree with abandon; we both gasped when I landed hard enough to leave a dent in the massive maple.

"Oh God, I'm so sorry Edward," she muttered, her eyes downcast. She was upset with herself for her lack of restraint.

I extracted myself from the fractured tree, forcing a smile for my concerned mate. There was no way I was letting on how much the rapidly healing fissures spiraling along my back stung. She'd never stop with the self-admonishment.

"I'm fine. You're just a little stronger than me right now."

She worried her lip between her teeth, inspecting one of the hairline cracks that snaked along my arm. "Are you sure?"

"They'll heal," I promised as she traced a finger along one of the fractures, watching it disappear beneath her finger.

Emmett appeared from nowhere, his chortle loud in the silence of the forest. All the fauna had bolted at our presence, leaving an eerie silence in its place.

"Oh good, you still have clothes on." He was relieved by this observation. "Thank God for small miracles. We do not have time for you two to do the dirty. We have shit to settle. Bella's had her hunt. Let's get moving."

I glanced at my mate, entranced by the way she licked her blood-reddened lips. I stifled a groan, wishing Emmett had been born with a sliver of patience.

"He's right," Bella agreed. "Alice and Jasper need us."

Carlisle appeared behind Emmett. "I let Rosalie know that we found Bella and to push back the backup call. We shouldn't delay any longer."

I knew I was being selfish by wishing for a deferral, but I couldn't seem to squash my self-serving vampire nature entirely. I'd had my mate returned to me against all odds. I wanted to enjoy that experience before jumping back into the danger presented by the Volturi.

I wanted to wrap Bella in cotton wool and hide her far away from Aro's clutches. I knew we had a responsibility to the two children who were still within his power, but that didn't mean we all had to risk facing his wrath.

"About that…" I muttered. "Bella, perhaps it would be best if you stay with Ros–"

Bella didn't let me finish.

"No." There was a decisiveness to her tone that said she would not tolerate any arguments. "I'm going with you. That's final."

"Bella, I'm not–"

She leveled me with a fierce red glare that would have anyone else quaking where they stood. I had the tiny advantage of knowing she was hardwired to protect me.

"Where you go, I go."

I glanced to Carlisle for help, but he shrugged.

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't dream of suggesting that a newborn travel through areas populated by humans, but Bella made it here without issue. She's very controlled. Her newborn strength could be an asset."

Bella's eyes glinted with smugness. I glared at my traitor brother; I had been counting on his support to keep Bella safe. She had a horrible penchant for throwing herself in the face of danger to protect those she loved. With Alice and Jasper thrown into the mix, and her new vampire compulsions, I wasn't sure what to expect.

Left with no other choice but to relent, I turned to Bella. "You have to promise me you'll be careful. These vampires – they aren't like us. They wouldn't think twice about killing you. I can't lose you. I won't."

Bella's nod was solemn. "I promise. I just – I need to be there. With you."

"I know." I kissed her forehead, sympathetic to how she was feeling. Though the notion of separating from her made me uncomfortable, I would endure it if it meant she would remain out of harm's path.

Emmett tapped a foot, impatient as ever. "Are we done with the yakking and the googly eyes? I'm ready to kick some Volturi ass. Like yesterday."

Bella looked to my brother for guidance, her expression the picture of focus.

"What's the plan?"

Emmett grinned, eager for an opportunity to showcase his brilliance. He handed her one of the phones he had rewired and showed her our attempt at blackmail.

Bella listened with quiet intensity, absorbing information like a sponge. She scrolled through the email, her new vampire senses allowing her to read it in seconds.

"We should add my memories from when I was first waking up," she suggested. "Jane and Alec admitted that Aro ordered me to be taken because of my relationship with Edward."

I kissed my brilliant mate. "That's a good idea. It's one thing to share speculation. It's another to hear words directly from the Volturi."

Emmett immediately set to work making revisions on my phone.

"I'll add it to the master, so it's updated for Rosie's copy as well. You should keep that." He tapped the phone Bella was holding. "If you really are immune to Alec and Jane, you'll have the best chance of sending it."

Bella turned her hopeful eyes on me. "Do you really think this will work?"

I shrugged. "It's all we've got. We have no other recourse for getting the children back. Technically, once Alice comprehends that we're vampires, we'll be in violation of the only true vampire law."

"That humans can't know you exist."

I nodded in confirmation. "You were an exception as a human mate. Alice and Jasper wouldn't fall under that category."

Worry lines marred Bella's pretty face. "Let's just go get this over with. I want to go home and be done with all this."

"I knew I liked you for a reason." Emmett grinned, throwing a hefty arm around my mate. To his utter surprise, he found himself flat on his ass as Bella swung a leg out, instinctively protecting herself from the unexpected touch.

Carlisle and I both smothered laughs at the stunned expression on Emmett's face. Bella covered her face with her hands, embarrassed.

"Shit. Sorry Emmett. I really need to learn to control this… urge to attack at the slightest movement."

Carlisle extended a hand to Emmett, helping him up. Emmett dusted off his jeans, shooting me a grin.

"Dude, why were you worried about her, again? You've got a firecracker there."

If Bella could still blush, I was sure she would have been fire engine red.

I rolled my eyes. "Thank you for that lovely insight, Emmett."

"You'll get the hang of it," Carlisle told Bella, wisely keeping his distance. "You've already managed to regulate your bloodlust. These things take time."

"Let's just go," Bella suggested, clearly uncomfortable with being the topic of conversation.

We all murmured in the affirmative, heading in the direction we'd been running before I had collided with Bella, or rather, she had run me down.

Running with Bella at my side was like a balm that soothed my anxieties. Prior to meeting my mate, aimless running in the quiet wilderness had been one of my favourite escapes from the tedium of daily life. Having her by my side as we tore through trees and underbrush calmed the gnarled, raw nerves that this messed-up situation had left behind.

By the time we arrived at the outskirts of Volterra, I was feeling refreshed and steeled for whatever would greet us inside the depths of the city.

Slowing to a human stride, we strolled toward the entrance of the Volturi's underground compound. Bella clasped my hand so tightly it teetered on the edge between pain and comfort. Emmett and Carlisle flanked us, their resolve solid.

The town was empty; only a few humans lingered in the streets as we twisted through narrow alleyways toward the concealed entrance of the Volturi compound.

The guard laying wait outside was immediately recognizable by his midnight, red-trimmed cloak. He wasn't someone I knew by name, but his appearance declared he was a Volturi soldier, and for that reason our respect was mandatory.

He greeted us with a nod, which each of us returned.

"Aro has been expecting you."

He stepped aside, allowing us into the elevator that would take us into the underbelly of the compound, where Aro and the two other leaders spent most of their existence.

I guided Bella inside the cramped space. She bit her lip, her anxiety written all over her face. I wondered if she was remembering her escape from this ominous place, or worried about our current mission. I offered a hesitant smile as Carlisle and Emmett followed us inside, as did the guard who had greeted us. He pressed a concealed button and we began sailing downward.

The doors opened several hundred feet beneath ground level. The nameless guard gestured to the dark corridor that was revealed.

"Aro, Caius and Marcus are awaiting your arrival."

Bella's grip on my hand constricted as we strode down the dark, stone hallway. The vaulted ceilings and architectural details should have made the building seem impressive. Instead, it lent an air of intimidation. Though I'd seen it all before in Carlisle's thoughts, I'd never been to Volterra myself. It was less welcoming without the veil of Carlisle's fond memories.

The three rulers were waiting for us in a grand hall, their stances unnervingly casual. Aro sat front and centre, a too-large throne beneath him. Tiny Alice was perched in his lap. Aro kept a hand atop hers, monitoring her thoughts. Jasper played at the foot of the throne, his attention on a set of toy cars.

The guard formed a stiff semi-circle behind the three rulers. There was a general murmur of excitement amongst them. They were expecting a fight. Our presence was a rare break from the tedium of guarding three unchallenged rulers.

"What a pleasant surprise," Aro greeted us with a smile that had a menacing undercurrent. His untruth was evident; I would have bet anything he'd been using Demetri to watch us approach.

His eyes flicked over Bella, lingering only a fraction of a second. If he was surprised to see her with us, his thoughts refused to let on.

"Good evening, Aro, Caius, Marcus," Carlisle returned the greeting, nodding to each ruler in turn. The rest of us stood in stony silence, unable or unwilling to engage in Aro's slippery small talk.

"I believe you know what brings us here."

Alice's head shot up at the sound of the familiar voice. "Car!" she whimpered, reaching out to him. Carlisle could only smile at her, unable to go to her, as he wanted.

"Teddy! Emmy! Belwa!" She tried instead, her watery gaze begging for one of us to acknowledge her.

Jasper, too, recognized the familiar faces. Heaving himself to his feet, he tried to make a dash for us, but was swiftly scooped up by a member of the guard.

"Quiet, dearheart." Aro shushed Alice in a deceptively parental tone. "You're fine, aren't you?"

Alice turned innocent grey eyes on him. "Pway?" she suggested. Aro ignored her, unwilling to indulge such childish whims.

"Carlisle," he greeted his old friend, "I do believe we have much to discuss."

Carlisle's nod was polite. "Indeed. My family and I are confused by what has transpired over the last few days."

Aro regarded him coolly, giving away nothing. "To what are you referring, old friend? I'm a very busy man, as I'm sure you're aware."

"Of course, I understand." Carlisle paused. "It has come to our understanding that the Volturi Guard changed Isabella Swan, in the hopes that she would prove a useful addition to their ranks."

His words were careful; he avoided implicating Aro himself, though we all knew he had been the one to give the orders, and was complicit in the operation.

Aro paused a fraction of a moment, considering how best to answer. He was well aware I could hear his thoughts, so they remained neutral.

"Indeed they did." There was no denying that fundamental truth, so he didn't attempt a pointless lie. "You know as well as I do that changing a human is well within my rights, Carlisle." He eyed Bella. "It seems she has found her way to you upon thwarting my guard."

"Yes, my lord, she is a part of our family. She has been for some time. She is my brother's mate."

Aro's eyebrow arched. "Is that so?" He made a show of glancing between Emmett and I, as if he hadn't known Bella was my mate all along. "To which of you does she belong?"

I managed to keep a growl in check, but was unable to repress a scowl. "Bella doesn't belong to anyone," I answered with scorn. "However, she is my mate." Bella threaded her fingers through mine, showing her silent support.

Aro's cheek twitched with a smarmy smile. "I should have guessed. She clings to you."

Marcus, who had been watching the exchange wordlessly, interjected his deep rumble into the conversation. "You are lucky to have found your other half," he offered in his usual monotone. "Treasure her, always. One day you may not have her by your side."

"I will," I vowed. A spoken promise to the Volturi would be last on my list of reasons to cherish my mate, however.

Marcus nodded his acknowledgement, falling into gloomy silence once again.

"That's why I'm here," I admitted. "My mate did not wish to be changed. The Volturi had no right to touch her without her express permission. As my mate, she was entitled to protection under our laws."

Aro scowled, the hand not holding Alice clenching around the arm of his throne.

"What are you accusing my guard of? Surely they did not know she was yours when she was collected."

"My scent is all over her home. All over _her_," I added. "If your guard did not smell that she had been claimed as my mate, their senses are severely lacking."

Aro was torn between fury and admiration at my audacity.

"I suggest you watch your tone," he said, his words arctic. "As I have explained, it was a misunderstanding. There is nothing more to discuss. She has been returned to you, much improved, may I add."

"And what of the children found in her care?" I asked, glancing at Jasper and Alice, who were still watching us with longing, though they had given up on crying out. "Do you intend to allow them to come home with us, where they rightfully belong?"

Aro stroked Alice's small hand, delighting in the flash of the future that passed through her mind. It appeared to be mere minutes from now – we are all collected in this room – but his glee was apparent, no matter how minor the vision.

Caius interjected coldly on Aro's behalf. "We could not allow such a thing to happen. The children shall soon be at an age where they will be unable to keep secrets. Silence is imperative to our way of life. To have our secret revealed would be disastrous."

"We do not intend for them to know any more than necessary," Carlisle explained. "It is our intent to raise them as any other human children; they will not know we're different until they are old enough to understand."

"And so what if they did know? They're kids," Emmett butted in. "Do you think even if one of them were to tell someone that their family is a coven of vampires, they would be taken seriously? Make believe and fantasy are an everyday occurrence in children's lives."

"Regardless, we cannot guarantee anything if they were with you," Caius said frostily.

"Then allow them to return to the human world," Carlisle proposed. "We will find them suitable adoptive parents. There is no need to involve them in this way of life before their time."

Aro regarded Carlisle as if he was suggesting the earth was flat.

"These children are much too precious to be left to the whims of foolish humans. They have incredible potential that cannot be put at risk."

"The children stay in Volterra," Caius agreed. "Here they can remain under our protection until they are old enough to be changed. They will not be exposed to idiot humans who could damage them."

"Your protection?" Emmett scoffed. "Yeah, 'cause, you know, two human kids hanging out with dozens of vampires day in and day out… that's totally safe."

Aro's deep red gaze grew tempestuous.

"Shall I remind you that you broke our cardinal law by keeping this human child? The girl child has uttered the word 'vampire.' You should be thanking us for our mercy. We have chosen to allow you to walk away without consequence."

"We have broken no law," Carlisle countered. "Our laws state that we must not allow humans to know of our existence. Alice is much too young to truly understand that we are different. To her, humans and vampires are the same."

Caius reclined in his throne, watching Bella with sharp eyes. "Then the girl–"

"As my mate, it was her right," I offered. "The same holds true for Kate and Garrett, and other vampire-human pairs before us."

Aro was frustrated with our insistence. The crack in his calm demeanor was beginning to split open.

"We are done here." His tone was dismissive. "There is nothing more to discuss. I suggest you take your leave now."

"We're not leaving without Alice and Jasper," Bella snapped.

The three leaders' eyes jumped to her in surprise. It was the first time she had spoken since we had arrived.

"Ah, so the newborn does speak." Aro's smile was serene, though his thoughts were filled with icy amusement.

Bella returned his steady gaze. "I've had nothing to say to you until now. I don't talk to assholes that kidnap innocent children. I'm sure you understand?"

Aro's ominous chuckle was veiled in light-hearted amusement.

"Quite the mouth your mate has there, Mr. Cullen. I suggest you teach her when to shut it. I will not tolerate insolence." His hand flicked to the circling guard. "Please escort our guests out."

"I don't think you want to do that," Bella countered. "We have information that could be very damaging to you."

Aro's sigh was flippant. "Pray tell, what is this knowledge that you think you have?"

Bella sneered at him. "You and your so-called 'guard' are a fraud. You're not protecting vampire-kind. You're seeking power for your own means. You kidnapped me in hopes you could con Edward into joining your ranks. I overheard Jane and Alec discussing it."

Caius' furious gaze landed on the two youngest among the guard.

"What is this nonsense?"

"Silence, brother," Aro snipped to his white-haired colleague. "Jane and Alec would never disobey my direct orders and discuss such private matters. They have done nothing."

"Then why would–"

"I said _silence_."

"It's true," Bella returned. "You will see the truth in Jane or Alec's memories."

"Very well then." Aro beckoned Jane to his side, the gesture curt.

He was irate with the twins for allowing Bella to escape, according to Jane's tense thoughts. This added blow could destroy all their remaining credibility.

For allowing Bella to escape, the pair had been sentenced to 3 months without feeding, a virtual eternity to a vampire. As they neared the end of their punishment, they would be crazed and desperate under the force of their thirst. Regardless of how cruel, both twins had readily accepted the punishment to appease their master and earn his forgiveness.

Aro untangled a milky hand from the arm of his throne, holding it aloft to Jane. Obeying the non-verbal order, she placed her hand in Aro's. His eyes glazed as her mind was absorbed into his.

"I see," was all he said when she withdrew her hand.

Caius was impatient for answers. "What? What did you see?"

"The newborn speaks the truth," Aro said shortly. "Alec, come here. We shall have to discuss how to handle this most unfortunate matter. You and your sister have disappointed me once again."

Caius was disgruntled at the notion of executing the guard's two most powerful vampires. To do such a thing would be crippling; the twins made the guard virtually unstoppable.

"Aro, you are not suggesting–"

"The decision is not yours to make, Caius."

"My lord, if I may speak," Jane simpered, bowing deeply before Aro. Her brother mimicked the movement in perfect synchronization at her side. "The girl is lying. She is manipulating the truth. She has a gift for thwarting others. I do not know how, but she is manipulating the truth as you see it in my mind."

"Are you suggesting that a _newborn_ is able to fool me?" Aro demanded. "Her mere hours of existence have made her powerful enough to thwart a vampire thousands of years her senior? Is that what you're saying?"

Jane hesitated, her voice little more than a whisper. "She has a talent for blocking and manipulating others' talents. It is no fault of yours."

"It's true, she is affecting your gift, just as she did ours," Alec confirmed his sister's lies without so much as a twitch to expose his dishonesty. "How else could a simple newborn have overpowered us? She is no match for two Volturi guards."

"They're lying!"

Bella was enraged; I had to hold her back from charging at Jane and Alec in her fury. I wound my arms around her, whispering soothing words. Eventually she settled in my arms, though her furious expression remained firmly in place.

"I must listen to all sides of the story," Aro said, misleadingly pleasant. "It would be most unfair to condemn Alec and Jane without hearing all sides of the story."

Aro's hand remained in constant contact with Alice's as a vision of him ordering Alec and Jane's beheading floated through her mind. Aro remained impassive as the gory scene unfolded.

Aro regarded me. "It would be most helpful in settling this matter if I could access your mate's thoughts."

He could care less about getting another view of the events. He had seen everything he needed to in Jane's thoughts; the twins were guilty of everything that Bella had accused them of. Aro was hoping Bella's rage would prompt her to allow him access to her mind, affording him an opportunity to scope out the limits of her gift.

I glanced at Bella, who seemed annoyed that Aro would dare ask to touch her.

"That's not really my call," I informed, irritated that Aro thought so little of my mate that he would treat her as if she was my property. "Will you let Aro see into your mind, love?"

Bella addressed Aro directly, her crimson eyes blazing. "Go to hell."

I shrugged. "I guess not."

Aro waved a hand as if Bella's refusal was inconsequential. "No matter. I shall have to trust that Jane and Alec have provided me with a sufficient sequence of events."

"We are innocent," Jane reasserted boldly, shooting Bella a malice-filled scowl. "We have done nothing wrong. The girl seeks to tarnish your opinion of us."

"My dear, if that was her motive, she needn't have bothered with a lie." Aro's words were stone cold. "My opinion of you was irreparably tarnished the moment you allowed her to slip from under your nose."

Jane appeared near tears, impossible though they might be. Her face was crumpled with misery and shame. "Please Aro, you must understand that our only desire is to please you."

Aro sighed in a long-suffering way. "I cannot allow two talented vampires to be wasted because of a misdeed, no matter how foolish. Your insolence has been noted, however. You have earned my mercy this time. Disobey me again and you shall regret your imprudence."

Alice's visions showed Alec and Jane wordlessly returning to their place amongst the guard moments before they took a step. Aro's smugness would have been imperceptible to anyone not aware of what he had just done.

Aro fixed his attention on Bella once more. "I believe you understand why it is impossible for you and your coven to leave here today. If such vicious, untrue stories were to spread…"

"They're already spreading whether you like it or not," Emmett noted. "We aren't the first to learn how you operate, and I'm certain we won't be the last. But we're in a position to do something about what we know."

Aro was impassive. "And how is that?"

Emmett stepped forward. "If you don't give in to our demands and relinquish the children, hundreds of vampires will receive a very detailed account of this story. Kill us if you wish, but the story will be told. There is nothing you can do to stop it, except to do as we say."

He gestured behind him where Bella, Carlisle and I had pulled out the rigged phones. "Each of them holds a trigger in their hands. Are you betting you can take them all out before one of them presses the button?"

"This is ridiculous!" Caius sneered at him. "You're attempting to blackmail us!"

"Not attempting. I _am_ fucking blackmailing you." Emmett was gleeful. "Give us the damn kids, and we'll keep your shady little secret. Or you can take your chances and hope like hell that no one cares that you're a bunch of scheming bastards dressed in fancy cloaks. What will it be?"

"Now let's not be hasty," Aro said silkily, stroking Alice's small hand, desperate for a vision that could guide his decision.

"We don't have all day." Emmett's voice was laced with contempt. "Make your choice."

"Alec," Aro growled, irritated with being put on the spot and the lack of guidance from the tiny prodigy seated in his lap. "Put an end to this foolishness."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Emmett warned before the cloudy mist of Alec's gift could settle upon us. "If you'll remember, our Bella is immune to your little friend's power. And trust me, if you hurt her family, she gets _pissed_."

Alec froze, unsure what he should do. The mist retreated in an instant, as if an invisible vacuum had cleared the air.

Aro was irate, maintaining his outward calm by a thinning thread. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place and he knew it. He allowed himself a moment to contemplate if it would be wise to order the guards to take us out.

A vision of the underground Volturi compound being stormed floated daintily through Alice's mind. She sat there, the portrait of innocence, as images of utter destruction cascaded through her mind.

Volturi guards were torn limb from limb as enraged rebel vampires stormed the compound, many with powerful gifts of their own. The vision settled ominously on Aro's blank, sightless eyes as his head was tossed into a raging bonfire. A moment later the vision was gone, replaced with Alice's innocuous toddler thoughts.

It was the most complex vision I'd ever witnessed from Alice. I wondered if perhaps that meant it was more likely to come true. Or maybe it was as simple as she was growing and her capabilities were too.

Aro's irritated voice broke the tense silence.

"Take the children."

Tremendous anger simmered beneath his controlled exterior. He was furious that we'd managed to outsmart him.

Caius glared at his co-ruler in disbelief. "You cannot allow them to take the girl child! She is far too powerful to be left in their clumsy hands."

"We have been left with no choice," Aro barked. "To deny them is to guarantee a mutiny. The child has foreseen it."

Caius was silent.

"Our laws still hold," Aro commanded, though his weakened position ensured the words held none of the authority he intended. We would always have power over him. "These children may know the truth, however, if it is ever found that they have told others, your coven shall pay for their disobedience."

"Understood," Carlisle agreed, maintaining the flimsy semblance of peace. "We intend to raise them in an environment where they understand the importance of concealing our secrets."

Aro allowed me, with much reluctance, to extricate Alice from his lap. Carlisle collected Jasper from the member of the guard who had restrained him. Bella stayed back a few feet, apprehension in her eyes as she regarded the kids. I stretched a reassuring hand out to hold hers. She returned a weak smile and edged closer to twine her fingers with mine.

"Escort them outside," Aro commanded a nearby member of the guard.

The march down the cold, stony corridor was silent, as if we were all afraid vocalizing would destroy the tentative peace. Even the kids seemed to mirror the sombre mood.

It wasn't until we were inhaling fresh air, and the guard assigned to escort us had descended back into the Volturi compound, that Emmett's incredulous voice broke the spell.

"We did it! We fucking did it!"

"Fuck!" Alice agreed, enjoying the uplifted mood.

Emmett shrunk back as three angry vampires turned his way.

Perhaps we weren't _all_ out of the water yet.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Thanks for the continued support, especially from those of you who have recced this little fic :) There's been an influx of new readers, some of who have said they've found it through FB and other places. So thanks for liking it enough to share! :) Another due thanks to Jana, who's always nudging me to keep up with editing and writing, even when I'm being lazy._

xx

Rosalie greeted Emmett on the edge of our property with relief, enthusiasm, and, I was pleased to note, a kiss. There was nothing quite like life-threatening adventure to make it clear what was important to you.

The rest of us hurried inside, letting them have their moment.

Esme was still in the midst of her transformation. She looked much healthier than when we had seen her last; some of her colour had returned and the venom coursing through her body had repaired her broken limbs.

Jasper wasn't sure what to make of his mother's shaking form. Bella attempted to comfort him, finally trusting herself around the kids with some coaxing on my part. After extracting a promise that I'd stop her before she could hurt either of them, she tentatively approached her cousin, kneeling by his side, her words tender as she tried to soothe away his concern to no avail.

Despite Bella's best efforts, it was Alice who managed to take her best friend's thoughts off his mother. Taking his small hand in hers, she dragged him to where she was in the process of creating a secret fort under our dining room table with couch cushions.

"I'm glad they have one another." Bella's smile was sentimental.

I returned it with one of my own. "Me too. They're going to have a very strange life, to say the least. The least they deserve is to have one another."

Bella turned to me, a frown marring her lovely features. "What do you mean?"

I lifted an eyebrow. "They're going to be raised by a coven of vampires. With you and Esme changed, they have no human influences remaining."

"Poor things," Bella noted wryly. "They'll be stuck trying to outsmart six parents with super senses."

I chuckled, dropping a soft kiss to my mate's temple. "With Alice on their side, I wouldn't be surprised if they managed it."

"She's going to be a force to be reckoned with, isn't she?"

I wrapped an arm around Bella, pulling her with me onto the nearby sofa.

"Most definitely. Why do you think Aro was so desperate to have her? For such a small thing, she has manifested a large power."

Bella sunk with me into the expensive piece of furniture, curling herself into my side.

"We're not going to be able to go back home, are we?"

I hesitated, wishing for a brief moment that my mate wasn't so perceptive. I could tell this was disappointing to her, and I hated the thought of making her unhappy.

"Probably not," I admitted. "Though you might be able to handle returning, it's unlikely Esme will demonstrate a fraction of the control you have. Though it's possible it runs in the family."

Bella's curious scarlet eyes burned into me. "Do you and Emmett share any familial traits as vampires?"

I laughed. "Not a single one. He's strong; I'm fast. He's good with technical stuff; I'm good with creative things. I have a gift; he doesn't. He's slipped on our diet; I haven't. We couldn't be more different."

Bella sighed. "So much for that theory."

I twined my fingers with hers. "Being here isn't so bad, is it? Some might say living in the European countryside is a dream come true."

Bella offered a weak smile. "I probably would have been one of them a few months ago. But it feels strange doing it like this. Just… uprooting everything without any warning."

"This is how we have to live," I admitted. "Our static appearance makes it impossible for us to stay in any one place for more than 10 years or so. Eventually others start to take notice of the lack of aging."

Bella threaded her fingers with mine and bit her lip. "Sorry for being a downer. We're lucky to be alive and together – I know that. Just… I'm going to miss Seattle and my friends. Lauren. Angela. Ben."

My heart twisted with her pain; disappointing my mate made me feel like I was being thrust into a vice. Though I'd lived through these types of changes and learned not to form attachments out of necessity, this would be Bella's first experience cutting all ties with those she cared about. I could only hope that Esme, Jasper and I would be enough to anchor her as she adjusted.

"We'll send word to let them know you're alright. Perhaps we'll tell them that you got a last minute scholarship to transfer out here that you couldn't pass up? We'll figure something out."

"What about Esme?"

I shrugged. "We haven't come up with a story yet. There's no way she'll be able to return to her line of work. Working in a hospital isn't something most vampires can handle, at any stage of their existence. The constant exposure to blood would be maddening to most. Carlisle is a very rare exception."

"Carlisle and Heidi!" Bella gasped in sudden recollection. She lowered her voice to a tiny whisper, well aware that my adopted brother might be listening in; he sat a few rooms over, watching over Esme. "He was dating her, wasn't he?"

I listened for Carlisle's thoughts, finding he was paying us no attention. He was focused on checking Esme's vitals with intense purpose. We were mere background noise in his thoughts.

"As far as I know."

"He's not going to have to leave her because of all of this, is he?" Bella seemed concerned by this development, despite the fact she had never been fond of Heidi. I kissed my mate, touched by her tender compassion for my brother's emotional state.

"Somehow, I don't think he minds," I told her, watching him helicopter over Esme several rooms over, his thoughts filled with more than the simple concern a doctor has for a patient.

Bella seemed to understand what I was hinting at, her lips turning up in a tiny smile.

"I hope so. They'd be good together."

Emmett and Rosalie traipsed in the door, noisy and animated as always; it was like they felt obligated to announce their presence wherever they went. His hand in hers, Emmett led Rosalie to the other side of the L-shaped sectional where Bella and I were seated. His grin was a mile wide and showed no sign of fading.

Bella smirked at him. "Why do you look like you have a hanger stuck in your mouth?"

Emmett beamed at her, pulling Rosalie down into his lap.

"Rosie agreed to be my girl. We're going to give that moony-eyed shit a try. Seems to work for you two."

Rosalie ducked her head when my brother planted a squelching kiss on her cheek. She didn't even pretend to wipe at it in dismay. I'd never seen her look so… girlish and happy. She looked like a thirteen-year-old in love.

She caught my smirk, and shot a lethal stare my way.

_Don't even start. I swear to God, I'll… _The threat trailed off as if she was unable to come up with anything menacing in her current blissful state.

"I'm happy for you guys," Bella input. "No offense or anything, but how did it take you this long to figure out you're perfect for one another?"

"They're the two most stubborn people on this planet," I informed my mate with only a touch of superiority. "And one of them is Emmett. I think that sums it up."

Emmett didn't even flinch at the insult; his grin was permanently glued to his face.

"Whatever. Jealous we're gonna give the two of you a run for your money in the most sickening couple department?"

"Uh, not happening," Rosalie insisted, her voice flat.

"Aww, but Rosie, someone has to put them in their place."

Emmett's whine and golden puppy eyes were met with utter disdain from his would-be-co-conspirator.

"Look, if I'm not getting sex, I _cannot_ be that cheerful. It's just not going to happen."

Bella's eyebrows lifted to her hairline. "No sex?"

Emmett's smile finally deflated a little.

"Rosalie thinks – ow! I mean, _Rosalie and I_ _agreed_," he amended when Rosalie's elbow jabbed him in the side, "that it will be easier for us to sort out our feelings for one another if we take sex out of the equation for a while. Until we figure out if we want to be together for real."

Bella chuckled at the look of consternation on my brother's face; clearly, he thought this plan was unnecessary punishment, but was willing to go along with it for Rosalie's sake.

"Sounds like a good idea."

"In that case," I glanced up at Emmett with pleading eyes, "if you're not going to be busy, do you mind watching over the kids while Bella and I sneak off? They're hiding out in Alice's fort under the dining room table."

Since returning from Volterra, Bella and I had been engrossed in making sure everyone else was happy and settled, neglecting time to ourselves. The moment I'd laid eyes on my Bella, transformed into the ethereal being that now stood before me, I'd been dying to get her alone. There was an all encompassing longing to learn what was possible for us without the constraints of her humanity. My entire being thrummed with a need to be closer to my mate, to claim her as mine and relearn every inch of her perfect form.

Emmett's expression soured. _Rub it in my face, why don't you?_

"Is that a yes?" I couldn't repress my hopeful tone.

"Yeah," he grumbled. "But if we ever need you to babysit when we want 'alone time,' you better be game."

"Deal," I agreed, already extending a hand to help Bella up. "We owe you."

Bella graced me with one of her shy smiles. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," I offered vaguely, not wanting to spoil the surprise. The Italian countryside was gorgeous, and I intended to take her somewhere where we could enjoy it and each other without interruption.

She followed my lead without question as we tore through shadowed greenery. Dawn was just beginning to caress the morning sky, casting a soft golden light on the treetops all around us.

I hardly noticed the stunning view that lay before us; I was content to watch Bella as she absorbed the sights, her face aglow in awe. Her enhanced vampire senses afforded her a new perspective on the surrounding beauty, and it showed in every one of her animated expressions.

"Hard to believe all this is real," she murmured when I indicated we had reached our destination. She glanced around, taking in the magnificence of the landscape with reverential eyes.

Laid before us was a glass-smooth pond that reflected the early morning sun like a mirror. There was no sign of civilization anywhere in sight. In every direction, as far as the eye could see, there were only the mellow green-blue tones of nature. It was as tranquil a place as I'd ever found, with not even the chirp of a bird to mar the perfect stillness.

Bella hooked an arm around my neck, standing on her toes to press her lips against mine in a whisper of a kiss.

"It's beautiful."

"I'm glad I could share it with you."

When I'd first discovered this place, it had been little more than a respite from the constant noise that surrounded me. Here, I could escape the incessant drone of human thought; there was no one for miles. With Bella's appreciation as my guide, it was easy to step back and admire the landscape as it might appear through her eyes.

Bella curled her fingers in my hair, pulling my body impossibly close to hers.

"I assume you didn't bring me here to admire the scenery?"

I kissed her forehead, dropping a series of feathery kisses along the curve of her chin, before settling my lips against the perfect softness of hers.

"Well, not _just_ to admire the scenery," I murmured in the breaths between.

"This time you don't have to hold back." Bella's eyes met mine, glowing with a playful challenge.

I chuckled at her excited tone. "No, but you might. You're stronger than me now."

"Is that so?"

She gave me a gentle shove, sending me toppling to the mossy forest floor; I could have caught myself, but played a willing participant in her game. Without a moment of hesitation, she pounced on me, straddling my hips.

I gazed up at her while she hovered over me with a predatory look in her eyes. The rising sun formed a halo of golden light around her, illuminating strands of her dark hair. The mellow rays of the sun caught her perfect, pale skin at just the right angle so that she appeared to glow from within. The loveliness of the landscape had nothing on the gorgeous woman that I had the honour of calling mine.

Between hungry kisses, our clothes were tossed aside as we rushed to be closer and feel more. When we were both wearing nothing but sunlight, I took it upon myself to inspect her changed body and relearn each curve anew. It deserved my thorough inspection.

Bella gasped with soft sounds of pleasure as I smoothed my hands over whatever smooth skin was within reach. I was fascinated by each minute change that caught my notice. Her body was firmer, but still unbearably soft, as though coated in velvet. She felt more substantial in my arms, less breakable. Against her ivory-paleness, the rosy pink hue of her most sensitive skin seemed several shades darker than before. I admired the contrast first with my eyes, then my lips.

Cupping one of the firm mounds hovering over me, I enclosed the pinked skin between my lips, watching her reaction as I met her blazing eyes. She bit her lip, instinctively repressing a groan.

"You can be as loud as you want, love. There's no one to hear."

With explicit permission, she let go of her reservations. She squirmed and moaned with reckless abandon as I teased her. Burying her face in the crook of my neck, she clung to me like a limpet.

I groaned at the pressure of her razor-blade teeth skimming the tender skin of my throat. I hadn't forgotten how it felt to have her mouth there, and the intense, unexplainable pleasure of her teeth breaking skin.

At my gasp, she pulled away, swallowing venom. Chastened, a small frown marred her features.

"Sorry."

Threading my fingers through her long mahogany hair, I guided her eyes to meet my serious ones.

"You didn't hurt me. You will never hurt me."

She nodded, but I could read the doubt in her eyes.

"It's difficult to explain," I continued, eager to dispel her misgivings. "It feels good – insanely so. It's something you have to feel to understand."

She quirked her head to the side, offering me an expanse of her pale neck with trusting eyes.

"Show me?"

Venom burned my throat at the mere thought of showing her that pleasure, and seeing my mark – however brief it might be – emblazoned on her flawless skin.

Dipping my head, I dropped my lips to kiss the soft flesh. I waited until her tense form had slackened to press my teeth into the velvet skin.

Her reaction was instantaneous. Her head tipped back as pure ecstasy surged from the point of contact. I pulled away, still tasting Bella on my lips, and admired the sight of my mark on my mate. I took a mental snapshot, knowing that the sight was one I would revisit often.

After a long moment, Bella's closed eyes fluttered open. They flamed with red-hot desire.

"I see what you mean," she murmured, her lazy tone telling me she was still blissed out. "It's… god, I don't even know how to begin to explain it."

I kissed her smiling lips. "I know."

"Is it like this for everyone?"

"For mates. There's something about the chemistry of how our venom affects one another. If we're bitten by anyone else it stings like hell. Not very pleasant."

"Good," she growled, her desirous gaze possessive. "No one gets to bite you except me."

"Fine by me," I laughed, rolling us so she was the one pinned to the mossy earth.

There wasn't any talking in the minutes that followed, just the breathy sounds of gratification and skin brushing skin.

I groaned as I slid into her; this was so much different than the few times that had preceded it. Not better or worse, just different.

What was better was the eager way she met me thrust for thrust. There was no hesitation or doubt in our movements. Now we could both move freely, without the need monitor every push or pull; this was how our bodies were meant to move together.

Succumbing to the waves of pleasure that coursed through every nerve ending had never been so simple. I didn't have to worry I'd crush her in a moment of unguarded passion. I collapsed over her as the last swells of bliss crashed and frothed around me like a breaking wave.

As Bella toppled headfirst into the depths of bliss with me, I heard her thoughts as surely as if they were my own.

_Oh God, that... yes, Edward, there! Oh, Edward. So… fucking perfect._

I gasped, my pleasure heightened through sharing her experience.

After the last aftershocks faded, we crumpled in a satisfied heap of limbs. I lay in silent awe, unable to believe what I had heard. I'd never caught so much as a single syllable from Bella's mind before.

"I could hear you," I murmured when we separated, rearranging our bodies into a more comfortable position. I was tantalized by the tiny glimpse into her mind. I wanted more.

Bella held me to her, lazily stroking her fingers through my hair as I lay on her chest, peppering soft kisses along her perfect exposed skin.

"What do you mean?"

"Your thoughts. I could hear them when you came. You were repeating my name. What you wanted from me." I paused, chuckling. "Cursing."

Bella's eyes darted away in shame. I tucked a finger under her chin, having none of it.

"I love everything about you. Including every last crazy thought in your head. Seeing, experiencing them… it makes this," I gestured between us, "all the more meaningful. To know that's how you feel when we're together? It makes it even more mind-blowing."

"I didn't do it on purpose," she murmured. Her words were shy, but I could tell she was pleased by my approval. "I wasn't trying to, I mean."

"Perhaps you lost control of whatever it is that shields your mind, and it allowed a few thoughts to slip out?" I considered, trailing a hand over her hip suggestively. "I think we need more empirical data to validate this theory."

"Mmhmm," she hummed, tugging on my hair to draw me into another kiss. "Couldn't hurt."

I grinned, pleased to see her embarrassment slip away as quickly as it had come. She never had cause to be embarrassed with me. She had no idea how much I wanted to know every part of her. No matter how trifling the information might seem to someone else, I wanted to know every last detail about my mate.

"We roped Emmett into babysitting," I reminded her. "We might as well take advantage. Who knows how long it'll be until we can convince him to do it again?"

"How many hours before he notices we haven't come back?"

"Not enough."

Not wanting to waste the precious time we had been afforded, Bella silenced me with another hungry kiss that spoke of all the things she had planned for our time together. I let her carry me away to a place where all thoughts of Emmett and our real life were not invited.

Hours later, we gathered our clothing and reluctantly redressed. We hadn't even left, yet the greedy ache to be alone with her, to have more time together, was already beginning to settle.

We took our time getting home, pausing often to share lingering kisses that always devolved into someone getting pressed up against a tree and wandering hands.

By the time we made it to the edge of the property that we would be calling home, the sun that had just been rising when we left was beginning its decent.

I paused at the sounds coming from inside the house; I could hear the panicked commotion of thoughts. My first consideration was that the Volturi had reneged on their promise of peace. Bella clutched my hand when I jerked her to a stop to listen.

Bella's gaze settled on me, her eyes heavy with concern.

"What's the matter?"

"Esme's awake."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Once again thank you for everyone's support. Readers, reviewers, and Jana who makes sure I keep focus :) Onward… only a few chapters left now._

xx

Bella shot toward the house like a bolt of lightning. I caught up to her in a few strides, stopping her before she could tear the door off its hinges in her panic to get to her aunt.

"Bella! Stop!"

I made the mistake of trying to pull her away from the house. She was stronger and threw my arm away with ease, sending me skidding onto the lawn. She spared me a look of contrition but turned for the house once more.

I took advantage of her moment of hesitation. Reacting on pure instinct, I grabbed her ankle, yanking her down with me, pinning her to the ground with my substantial weight.

"Bella, look at me," I pleaded.

Reluctant crimson eyes found mine, though she didn't stop resisting.

"I know you're worried and want to help her. But you need to be calm. If you burst in like this, she's going to panic. Think about how hard it is for you to ignore your instincts. It's worse for her. She'll be angry with herself if she hurts you."

Bella stopped struggling to free herself.

"She's probably scared," she muttered, her eyes begging me to understand.

I cupped her cheek, tracing a finger over the curve of her jaw.

"You're right. She probably is. That's why you need to be strong for her. Calm."

Bella's voice was small. "She's probably panicking. She doesn't know anything about you or that vampires are real."

"I know," I soothed. "We're going to help her understand. But you need to be calm to do that."

Bella inhaled shakily, steadying herself. "Okay."

I kissed her forehead, helping her sit up and dust off her mussed clothes.

"You can do this."

Bella hugged me, pressing her face to my chest. She soaked in my unwavering support and used it to steady herself, despite the less-than-calm sounds that emanated from inside the house.

"Okay, I'm calm… I'm sorry I hit you."

"It's nothing." I brushed off the apology and took her hand in mine. "Let's go."

Inside, Esme was fighting against Emmett and Carlisle as they attempted to pin her to the couch where she had been lying in relative peace last we'd seen. Furniture all around the room lay in shambles. Even the hardwood was crackled and splintering in places.

Rosalie had taken refuge with the kids, not wanting to expose them to the chaos. I could just make out the whisper of her thoughts on the far side of our property.

"Why am I like this!" Esme cried, her sobs tearless. "What have you done to me? Make it stop it! I'll do anything you want!"

"Es." Bella approached her aunt, finding an opening between all the limbs pinning her in place. "We're going to explain everything. But you have to listen. Can you do that?"

Esme calmed at the sight of her niece. Her tension lessened, as did her struggles.

"Bella? What happened to your eyes? Why do you look different? Have I been drugged?"

Bella held Esme's hand in hers, stroking her thumb in soothing circles. Esme calmed marginally, allowing Bella to guide her into a sitting position.

"I promise we'll answer all your questions. Are you ready to listen?"

Emmett and Carlisle loosened their hold on her, letting her sit the best she could on the wrecked sofa, though their tensed stances indicated they remained ready to restrain her at any moment.

Esme's wild eyes flicked around the room, bouncing over each of us in turn. "What's happening to me? Why does my throat hurt?"

Bella looked to us for guidance. I could understand why she thought it might not be the best idea to just blurt out "vampire" given her own experience and all the mythical connotations humans had attached to the word.

Emmett wasn't quite so tactful. "You're a vampire now."

Esme looked at him like he was crazy, which was not an inaccurate assumption in my view. Esme's thoughts expressed her disbelief loud and clear. She was certain she had been drugged and pressured into some crazy lab experiment.

Esme let loose an instinctive snarl directed at Emmett, though she had no idea who he was. She didn't believe a word he said, and that had her hackles raised. She was teetering on edge of attacking him, her instincts demanding that she eliminate the threat.

"Emmett," Bella snapped.

"What? We had to tell her sometime. Might as well get it over with."

"Bella, what's he talking about?"

Bella exhaled heavily, knowing that getting Esme to believe the truth would be a battle unto itself.

"He's telling the truth. You're a vampire. And I am, too. That's why my eyes are red. Yours are too."

Esme gave a scornful laugh that seemed uncharacteristic of the maternal woman I had known. She sobered when she noticed all the serious faces surrounding her.

"No. That's not possible. Vampires aren't real. Is this some kind of TV stunt?"

Carlisle knelt beside Bella, placing a tentative hand on Esme's knee. I was shocked to see she allowed him to touch her. She should have been savage at the mere thought of another vampire touching her.

"It can be difficult to accept realities that challenge our belief systems."

Esme scowled, her eyes flickering to the exits; she was looking for a way to escape and trying to decide if she could overpower all of us. Little did she know she was now the strongest one in the room, though Bella might give her a run for her money.

"I know reality from fiction. I'm not crazy."

"No one is saying you are," Carlisle offered, gentle as always. His impeccable bedside manner was in full effect. "But there are things that you didn't know existed. Vampires are one of them. We go to great lengths to hide ourselves from humans."

Esme eyed him, suspicious. "We?"

"Me and my brothers, among others." He gestured to Emmett and myself. "Do you remember us?"

Esme wracked her frazzled brain, trying to scrounge up even a vague memory but came up blank. Her human memories were sheathed in a fog that made them difficult to process in her new, more efficient mind. It was much like a CD player trying to decipher a cassette. The two mediums weren't quite compatible, though the end product was similar in nature.

"No."

"But you remember Bella?"

Esme nodded. "She's my..." she trailed off, doubting her own memories. "I don't know? Why can't I remember? I know she's… important."

"It's not uncommon to lose spans of memory when the transition happens," I explained. "It's the way your body heals itself. As you adjust, your memories may become clearer, or they may be lost permanently. It's impossible to say."

Carlisle retrieved a small handheld mirror, which he offered to Esme. "It's not just your memories. You've changed physically as well."

Esme peered into the reflective glass, uneasy with the image she saw reflected. She skimmed a finger over her face, unable to believe she was looking at herself. "I do have red eyes. And my skin looks perfect. No more wrinkles. I look so young."

She sat quietly, contemplating her new appearance. I watched her mind work, trying to make sense of this strange new world that had been thrust upon her. There was a subtle shift in her thought process; she was starting to believe what we were saying, though too many doubts lingered for her to relent that a lifetime of teachings had been wrong.

"Is it plastic surgery?" She squinted at her jaw, searching for any sign of an incision.

Emmett snickered in the background, unhelpful as usual.

"You're a vampire now," Carlisle explained, his patience never wavering, despite having to repeat the same information. "All the physical changes are part and parcel of that. Your heightened senses, your speed, your refined features…. they're all the effects of vampire venom."

Esme glanced at him, suspicious. Her instincts told her he was trying to trick her into something, though she couldn't determine what.

"I didn't mention anything about heightened senses."

Carlisle shrugged. "You didn't have to. It's the same for all of us. Well… mostly. Speed and heightened senses are common to all of us. Some of us have special abilities that others don't have."

Esme's eyes narrowed. "Oh really. Like what?"

Carlisle pointed at me. "Edward can read minds, for example."

Esme scoffed, growing agitated by the perceived lie. "That's impossible. There is absolutely no scientific basis for that. It's just not possible. Whether vampires are real or not, it just wouldn't work. Brainwaves can't be intercepted like a radio frequency."

I shrugged. "It might not be explainable by science, but it's true. I can read your mind."

"Prove it."

I shrugged. If it would help with our case, I was game.

"Think about some obscure word that would never come up in conversation. I'll tell you what it is."

She pondered for a moment, before settling on her word of choice.

_Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious_.

I smirked. "A Mary Poppins fan?" At Esme's nonplussed look, I added, "Why do I get the impression you just wanted me to say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?"

Esme crackled a small smile. "Maybe because I did."

_How do I know that wasn't a lucky guess?_

"I guess you'll just have to take my word for it," I answered the unspoken thought.

Esme seemed unsurprised that I'd heard the question. "This is weird… crazy weird. Stuff like this doesn't happen in real life. If that's true… I guess all of it must be. It's just…" the sentence tapered off; Esme had no descriptor that fit the level of mind-blowing confusion she was feeling.

"It does in our lives," Emmett pointed out. "It takes some getting used to, but it's pretty damn cool when you do."

"How did this happen to me?" Esme questioned. "I'm no one. Why would anyone want to turn me into a vampire?"

"It was my fault, Es." Bella's eyes strayed from her aunt's in shame, as though looking at her while admitting her perceived fault was painful.

I grasped Bella's hand and pulled her close to my chest, unwilling to let her wallow. Her unnecessary guilt was like a knife to my chest. Hoping to offer comfort, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Bella, it wasn't your fault. If you want to play the blame game, there's a whole sequence of people you can blame: me for being unable to stay away from you, Alice for having a gift Aro couldn't resist. Emmett and Rosalie for fighting. Carlisle for being away hunting. It's no one's fault but Aro's. You did nothing wrong."

Bella squeezed me back, fisting my shirt in her desperation. "I'm glad you didn't stay away."

"Me too," I admitted.

Esme watched the two of us embrace, curious. "You two are together." Her words wavered between being a statement of fact and a question. A vague recollection of the two of us kissing brushed the edges of her mind. "I think I remember that. Sort of. What do the two of you have to do with me being a vampire?"

"Edward and his brothers have been vampires for awhile," Bella confessed, her voice quiet. "When we started dating, I didn't know. When I learned what he was, I didn't care. I knew it was dangerous, and I didn't care."

"So one of them changed me into a vampire by accident?"

Bella wrung her hands. "Not exactly. See, there's this group that ensures all vampires adhere to their rules. The Volturi. They seek out vampires with special gifts – like Edward's mindreading – and humans that show signs of being gifted."

Esme listened intently, no signs of judgment or anger in her expression or in her thoughts.

"To make a long story short, because of my association with Edward, they found out that I had a potential talent. They came for me and you were collateral damage. They changed me and intended to kill you."

Bella shared a heavily edited version the story, neglecting to explain the role Alice and Jasper had played. It was a wise choice. Besides adding layers of complication, there was no telling how Esme would react to hearing her son's name.

She hadn't so much as thought of him, yet. We had no way of knowing if she had any recollection of him at all. She remembered Bella, however vaguely, so it seemed logical to think that she would remember Jasper as well, if her memories were triggered. Combining her feral newborn instincts with those of an enraged mother spelled danger.

Esme was calm, as if hearing the details of her own murder was an everyday occurrence.

"So the Volturi turned me into a vampire?"

"Actually, I did." Carlisle stepped forward, kneeling by her side once again. The tender arc of his thoughts revealed just how much he cared for her and how glad he was that he had been able to spare her life.

"They left you for dead," I added. "When we found you, you'd bled out to such a degree that saving your mortal life was impossible."

"So you made me into a vampire." Esme stated. "I guess I should feel lucky to be alive at all."

Carlisle gazed at her meaningfully. "It's not a choice we typically like to make on behalf of others. This life isn't for everyone."

Emmett interjected with his two cents. "It depends on the person. Edward took it kind of hard at first, for instance. I think he had it the hardest out of all of us. He's come around over time, though. Since he met Bella he's been a new person – giddy with happiness."

Esme watched us interact with a wistful note clouding her thoughts. "So I see."

"It does get better," I promised. "Being one of us is isn't easy, but it will become easier as you acclimate."

"Why are your eyes different than mine and Bella's? Is it because we're new?"

"Partly," Carlisle explained. "You have red eyes because of the human blood lingering in your system. It will fade over the next few months if you stick to our diet."

"Which is?"

"Blood."

"Blood?" Esme's expression curled in an unusual combination of hunger and distaste. Her hand lifted to press against her raw throat. The burning pain had to be immense. Like her niece, she seemed to have a fairly good handle on her instincts, to be able to converse with us for as long as she had.

Emmett snickered. "Come on, don't tell me you know that little about vampires? Haven't you ever read _Dracula_? We drink blood."

"We're what we like to call vegetarian vampires," Carlisle amended Emmett's statement. "We abstain from human blood in favour of animal blood. It doesn't taste the same, but it's easier for the conscience to swallow. It's not a common practice among our kind, but there are some others like us."

Esme was torn between disgust and the desire to try it. "I have to kill animals and drink their blood?"

"It's not so bad," Bella offered. "It's mostly instinctual. You'll catch a scent, and your body will take over. It'll ease the burn in your throat. We'll make sure you don't hurt anyone."

Esme was growing fidgety as her urge to seek out blood became more consuming. She was having trouble concentrating on what everyone around her was saying. She eyed Bella without focus, her knee bobbing up and down in agitation.

"How come you're so calm about this if you're almost as new as I am?"

Bella shrugged. "Edward and Carlisle think I'm a natural vampire. Maybe because I understood what was happening to me before I was changed, I had time to prepare myself? It could be genes? Or just luck? It's impossible to know."

"I'm thirsty," Esme scowled, growing impatient with the idle chatter. "My throat hurts."

"We should take her hunting," Bella suggested, anxious to ease her pain.

I nodded my agreement. "Her agitation increases the longer she has to wait."

"There's plenty of forest cover around here. She should have no problem finding game," Carlisle offered. "It's why we chose this location."

"Come on, Es," Bella offered, indicating the back door that led to our expanse of land. "We'll make sure you're okay. Follow your instincts."

"I call coming," Emmett demanded, like a ten-year-old calling dibs. "Edward wouldn't let me come with him to teach Bella. I'm not missing this one, too."

Esme followed where Bella had indicated, stopping dead a few feet from the door.

Bella followed her line of sight, gaping in horror. Her eyes were fixated on a child-sized jacket that belonged to Jasper.

Esme snatched it up, clutching it to her chest.

"Jasper," she muttered so softly the name was almost inaudible.

"Es," Bella started, but was met with a ferocious growl.

"What happened to my baby?" Esme demanded. "Where's Jasper?"

Bella hesitated, not wanting to put her small cousin in danger. "I'm not sure I should-"

Esme had Bella up against the wall in a chokehold in a flash.

"Tell me where my son is! Now!"

Unable to watch the rough treatment of my mate, I yanked Esme away from Bella. Emmett came to my aid, helping me hold her back as she thrashed in our grip, still seething with anger and screaming for her son. Carlisle was forced to join in helping Emmett and I restrain Esme as her resistance grew more desperate.

"I need to see him!"

"Jasper's fine," Bella offered, trying to get Esme's attention to no avail. She was in a frantic mode and nothing would calm her down until she had confirmed with her own eyes that Jasper was fine.

Carlisle pushed himself into her line of vision. "You can't see him until you hunt," he told her in a tone that brooked no argument. "You could hurt him. Is that what you want?"

Esme growled at him, lashing out at him with a swift kick. He skidded back into the adjacent wall with a sharp thunk, a ruined chair crushed between him and the wall.

"I would never hurt my son!"

Carlisle stood, brushing shredded upholstery and splintered wood from his clothing. He knelt by her, while Emmett and I continued to pin her to the hardwood. There were gouges and scratches where Esme had clawed at it, trying to escape our grip.

"The _old_ you would never have hurt him. You're not the same. I know you don't want to hurt him, but until you've hunted, it's not safe. Look around you. See the damage? That could be Jasper."

Esme finally paused long enough to survey the battered furniture and shredded floors. Even the curtains were pulled from their rod and hanging in tatters. There was little that had escaped her warpath. The sight broke through her angry haze.

"I'll hunt," she conceded eventually, her tone much calmer.

Carlisle nodded his approval. "Good. You can see Jasper when you finish. We'll have to take precautions, though."

Esme eyed the chaos she had inflicted on the room, mortification for her behaviour threading through her mind.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You're a vampire," Emmett explained succinctly.

"Edward, Bella, perhaps you should find Rosalie and let her know it's safe to return with the kids," Carlisle suggested. "Emmett and I can guide Esme through her first hunt."

I took my mate's hand, pulling her attention back to me. I could see she wanted to go with her aunt, but it was not be the best idea for her to go hunting with a newborn. She herself was still unaccustomed to her instincts, even if she had demonstrated tremendous control thus far.

"That's a good idea. We'll need to explain to the kids – the best we can, anyway. They'll need to understand that Esme can't play with them like before."

"Fine," Bella relented with a sigh.

Esme offered her a wavering smile. "I can do this. For Jasper. And, I'm sorry for, um…"

Bella grasped the other woman in a fierce hug.

"Don't worry about it. Just be safe, okay? Jasper needs you."

Esme nodded, allowing herself to be guided toward the forest, which was set aflame in shades of orange as the last remnants of sunlight brushed the treetops. The sun was on the cusp of settling behind the horizon.

Bella watched the trio disappear into the trees before turning to me.

"Can you hear where Rosalie is?"

I pointed to the west, opposite of where the others had gone. "I can make out her thoughts that way."

They were gathered in a clearing dusted with tiny purple flowers, blankets and toys spread out all around them. Jasper and Alice were engrossed in a book that had buttons to make sound effects; they couldn't read, but they didn't seem to mind. Neither of them glanced up at our arrival. The book sounds were much too enthralling.

Rosalie gazed at us with a smirk. "That took long enough. I was wondering what I'd do if it got dark before you sent word."

Bella bit her lip in agitation. "Esme had some trouble adjusting."

Rosalie's chuckle was sharp. "Of course she did. You have no idea how easy you had it. You knew we existed, at least."

"Rosalie," I griped, "now is not the time. Let's get the kids home and figure out how the hell we're going to explain this."

We packed up the tons of kid-crap that Rosalie had brought along. Jasper and Alice finally deemed us worthy of their notice, seeing that their toys were disappearing.

"Teddy!" Alice squealed, throwing herself at my leg, one hand still gripping Jasper's. He watched, refusing to budge, even as her antics stretched the arm Alice had tethered to him.

"Hey Alice, Jasper," I greeted. "Did you guys have fun with Rose?"

"Wose wead Awice and Japper."

"Rose read a book with you?" Bella asked, squatting next to the kids.

Alice handed me the book they'd been so engrossed in moments ago.

"Car goes vroom!" she explained, proud to share her new knowledge.

"The dog says woof," Jasper added, much more bashful than his best friend. He glanced at us warily, not sure if this addition was acceptable.

"Sounds like both of you learned a lot," I praised, lifting Alice into my arms, while Rosalie did the same with Jasper. Bella was still a little wary around the kids, worried that she might hurt them.

Bella grabbed the overstuffed diaper bag jammed with kid trinkets and we headed home. Alice loved the sensation of wind whipping around her; her gray eyes sparkled with wonder as we sped through the countryside.

"Teddy fun!" Alice praised, her expression gleeful as we slowed to approach the house.

Jasper was less thrilled with the fast-paced ride; he'd found it a little scary.

Alice reached out to him. "Japper fun?"

Jasper offered her an uncertain smile. Alice made everything seem more exciting.

Bella led the way inside. She was tense; her worry for the kids and Esme dominated all other emotions. I set Alice down so I could pull Bella into my arms.

"Everything is going to be fine," I assured her, tugging her lip from between her teeth. "You'll see."

Bella exhaled slowly. "I know. I'm just nervous, I guess. I want everything to go well."

"The way I see it, things _are_ going well," Rosalie butted in. "Could things be better? Of course. But that's life. You deal with what you're given. Lemons and lemonade and all that shit."

"You're a true philosopher, Rose," I smirked, unable to resist the opportunity to push her buttons.

Rosalie flicked her long blonde hair over a sculpted shoulder, unperturbed.

"Yeah, well. I've had some time to ponder the meaning of life the last few days. I realized we have it pretty good."

"We do."

Bella glanced at our pint-sized dependents. "So Alice and Jasper?"

"I think we should just explain that Esme is different and leave it at that," I pointed out. "How much will they understand, anyway?"

Bella dug out a photo of Esme from her wallet to show the kids.

"Mae!" Alice exclaimed, recognizing the figure depicted.

"Jasper?" Bella prompted. "Who is this?"

"Mama," Jasper answered dutifully.

"Yes. That's right. She's coming to see you soon. She might look funny or seem scary. But you don't need to be scared, okay?"

"Wed," Alice said, touching Bella's face. "No scary."

Bella frowned, uncertain what Alice was trying to say. She looked to me for clarification; I'd become quite adept at piecing together Alice's disjointed toddler thoughts.

"Alice has seen that Esme has 'red' eyes," I chuckled, amused by the manifestation of Alice's gift. "She knows it's not scary. You have red eyes and you're not scary."

Bella bit her lip, touched. "I'm happy you don't think I'm scary. Esme isn't scary either, I promise."

"No scary," Alice repeated with a toothy toddler grin.

Jasper remained silent, letting Alice take the lead. He was content to absorb the conversation in his own quiet, contemplative way.

"I think they understand as much as they're going to. Alice knows not to be afraid. Jasper will take her lead. He trusts her, god only knows why," I snickered. "They're going to raise hell when they're older, with her as a ringleader."

"Good thing we outnumber them three to one then," Rosalie snarked.

It didn't take long for Esme to return. She'd sped through her first feeding, desperate to reunite with her son. Within minutes I could hear the thoughts of three rapidly approaching vampires.

Esme was powering toward us at top speed, forcing Emmett and Carlisle to keep up with her. The tenor of her mind had lost the jittery edge caused by her thirst. She seemed more relaxed and in control of herself. Her entire focus was centred on her son.

She burst through the door, impatient to see Jasper. The hinges bent under the weight of her enthusiasm. Emmett and Carlisle trailed on her heels.

"Holy crap, she's nearly as fast as you," Emmett grumbled, sinking into the couch with a sigh that was both impressed and disgruntled.

"Jasper," Esme gasped, her gaze drawn to the blonde-haired boy sitting calmly in the living room.

He glanced up at the sound of his mother's voice.

"Mama?" he asked in question. She looked and sounded funny, so he wasn't sure it was her.

"Yes, it's me, baby," she smiled at him.

Mindful that she should be careful, she crept closer. She knelt by him, keeping a few feet of separation. Carlisle, Rosalie and Bella hovered, ready to intervene at any moment, should things not go as anticipated.

They needn't have worried. Esme's joy at being reunited with her son left no room for any other emotions. She wanted to touch him, but was terrified to hurt him. The memory of the mangled living room was steadfast in her mind.

Not taking her eyes off of her son, she addressed us. "Can I…? I won't hurt him."

"Be very gentle," Carlisle reminded. "You're a lot stronger than you used to be."

Esme nodded her assent, reaching for her son like he was a delicate treasure that could crumble at any moment. She held her breath as he settled into her arms with a contented sigh.

Jasper granted her a rare smile. "Mama," he said, resting his head on her chest.

"Hi baby. I'm so glad to see you. Did the others take good care of you?"

Jasper remained silent, but pointed at the dark-haired girl playing on the floor nearby. Alice had unearthed some ribbons from god-knows-where and was waving them around, happy to entertain herself.

"You played with Alice?"

A nod from Jasper confirmed it.

"Sounds fun."

Jasper pointed at Alice again.

"You want to go play?"

That earned another nod.

"Okay, sweetheart." She set him down just as delicately as she'd picked him up. He scrambled over to Alice, watching the younger girl with a rapt fascination, no matter how mundane the activity.

"You did great," Carlisle praised Esme.

She returned his smile. "Let's hope it stays that way. This has been a crazy day."

Emmett threw an arm over Rosalie's shoulder, shooting her a smirk. "Crazy can be good. Really good."

Rosalie shoved him off. "What are you trying to say?"

Emmett shrugged. "That I love you?"

Rosalie tried and failed to hide her pleased smile. "I guess I kind of like you too. For the record, you're a hell of a lot crazier than I'll ever be."


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Thanks for the continued support, everyone :) Second to last regular chapter…_

xx

As the months slipped by, Italy began to feel more like a home. We'd sent word to the States, spinning webs of lies that would conceal our sudden absence. Angela and Lauren had questioned Bella's abrupt decision to move to Italy, but seemed happy for her, extracting a promise that they could visit soon. Bella had done her best to sidestep, uncertain if that would be possible with Esme still adjusting.

Italy would be our permanent residence until Esme and Bella had settled into their new lives, and perhaps even beyond then. Carlisle was nervous about remaining in relative proximity to Volterra, but we hadn't heard from Aro or the Volturi since the altercation months previous.

All our important belongings and mementos had been shipped overseas, though by this point, Emmett, Carlisle and I were so used to assuming new identities, retaining little more than each another, that we didn't need much in the way of physical things.

Esme and Bella, who were going through the process for the first time, found it more challenging to adjust. Their lives here were much different than the ones they had known in Seattle. Without a job or school to orbit around, their lives suddenly became much more freeform. Days were spent adapting to being a vampire, hunting, spending time with one another, and taking care of the kids.

With Bella and I, and Emmett and Rosalie coupled off, Esme and Carlisle were often left to one another's company. It was a situation that worked for them and for us. Those of us that were mated could sneak away for time alone, while Carlisle fielded Esme's endless questions about vampire life with steadfast patience.

As the weeks wore on, the shift in their relationship grew more noticeable to everyone but them.

The rest of us were taking bets on how long it would be until they admitted their feelings, and who would be the one to make the first move. Emmett and I had put our money on Esme. Bella and Rosalie thought Carlisle would play it more traditional.

His one time courtship with Heidi had been long forgotten. Not long after we'd settled in Italy, I'd overheard his final phone call to her. In close quarters, privacy was near non-existent. Even if I hadn't overheard, his ruminating thoughts in the days following would have given him away. Though he wasn't wallowing in depression over the loss, it was clear he felt guilty for Heidi's hurt feelings. She'd been fuming during their short conversation.

"_What do you mean, you're moving to Italy?" Heidi's usually silky tone was sharp._

_Carlisle was meek. "I'm sorry for springing this on you this way."_

"_Yeah, that's so comforting. You're sorry. Great."_

"_I know this probably doesn't hold much weight now, but believe me when I say this is for the best. My life is… complicated. It wasn't fair of me to try to drag you into it."_

"_Don't pretend you're being noble," Heidi snipped, every word laced with vitriol. "This is selfish, pure and simple."_

"_I'm sorry you feel that way."_

"_Stop with the condescending bullshit. You're dumping me over the phone from another fucking country! I have the right to be upset."_

"_You do," Carlisle agreed. "It doesn't change the circumstances, though. Take care of yourself, Heidi. I wish you the best."_

"_Go to hell, Carlisle." The drone of the dial tone punctuated her harsh words as she hung up. _

_Not sure if my presence would be welcome, I went to my brother's side. Sitting next to him, I offered a hesitant smile. His return effort was feeble._

"_Everything okay?" I asked as he tucked his phone into his pocket._

_Carlisle's impassive gaze was fixed on his lap, guilt weighing heavy on his mind. "I'm fine. I was sorry to hurt Heidi, but that's the extent of it."_

"_She wasn't your mate." I kept my tone light, not wanting him to think I was being judgmental. _

_He glanced at me, embarrassed by the truth of my statement. "If I'm being entirely honest, I knew that from the start. I wasn't with her for the right reasons."_

_I frowned; he'd seemed like a kind and devoted partner from my outsider perspective. "What reasons were those?"_

"_I was jealous." He whispered the final word, ashamed of his own fallible emotions. "For decades it was you, me and Emmett. Then Bella and Rosalie came along, and suddenly I was reminded of how alone I am. I wanted someone. Heidi was…" he trailed off._

"_She was?" I prompted gently._

_It was a question that had been burning in my mind for awhile. Why had Carlisle picked her, of all people, to start a relationship with? It was something that he had never explained. There was no denying Heidi was beautiful, but there were plenty of beautiful women in the decades prior. He had never mentioned what made her special enough to draw his attention after centuries of solitude._

_Carlisle himself was at a loss. "She liked me – and she seemed genuine about it. She wasn't caught up in the empty lust of vampire charms. I liked that she liked _me_."_

"_She made you feel wanted," I stated. Even my virtuous older brother wasn't immune to the complicated desire to be loved. _

_Carlisle ducked his head, ashamed. "I know hindsight is 20/20, but I had no right being with her. None at all. She was right, I was being selfish."  
><em>

"_Some would say I had no right being with Bella when she was human, either. We're not perfect. _You're_ not perfect. You figured out early that you weren't right for one another. Heidi will move on and live a happy human life."_

_Carlisle didn't seem so certain. "I hope you're right."_

"_I am," I said, my resolve firm. "Relationships end. You did the right thing, no matter how wrong it feels right now."_

"_It doesn't feel wrong," Carlisle sighed. "That's what bothers me. My only remorse is that I hurt her feelings."_

"_It's not your fault," I insisted. "She wasn't your mate. The relationship was doomed from the beginning."_

"_That doesn't change anything. I caused her pain trying to fill the void in my own heart."_

"_Perhaps you were looking in the wrong place," I offered._

_I glanced through the window where Esme was playing with Alice and Jasper in the yard. It was a bright summer day. We'd installed a jungle gym and the two kids were having the time of their lives on it under Esme and Rosalie's supervision._

_It felt wrong to nudge Carlisle in Esme's direction so soon after the misstep with Heidi. He would sort out his emotions in his own time._

_Bella had no such qualms nudging along the relationship she was certain was meant to be. She often made a point of leaving Carlisle and Esme alone together, hoping her aunt's one-time feelings for Carlisle would resurface. Esme had given no indication that she remembered more of her human life other than small snippets about Bella and Jasper. Her clearest memories were of her son, and even those were few and far between._

_Carlisle clasped my shoulder, his expression gaining a hint of the optimism he had been missing throughout our conversation. "Maybe Italy will have something to offer. I feel at peace here. It's nice."_

_I was quite certain that the caramel-haired woman playing with the children outside had everything to do with that feeling. Carlisle would recognize it in his own time._

My mate's arms circling around my waist drew me back to the present. She'd become quite proficient at sneaking up on me. She was light on her feet, even for a vampire. Coupled with her silent mind, it was easy to miss her approach. She had a great deal of fun with it, making it a point to catch me unaware.

"Hey, love," I greeted, twisting in her arms to bestow her with a kiss.

Kind eyes appraised mine, searching for the source of my distress; they'd faded to a burnt orange, not quite the gold of my own yet.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

I kissed the top of her head. "Nothing really… just your favourite twosome. Thinking about when they'll realize what all of us already know."

Bella rolled her eyes. "They're starting to drive me nuts. Yesterday, when we were watching that movie? They were playing footsie under the blanket. I mean, how much more obvious does it have to be?"

I chuckled. "You think you had it bad? Imagine what they were thinking about. It was like listening to two oblivious teenagers with reciprocal crushes."

Bella's giggle made me smile. "I'm not sure I want to imagine. I think they're each worried the other doesn't feel the same."

"You may be right. Carlisle is wary of starting a relationship after what happened with Heidi."

Bella's gaze darkened at the mention of Carlisle's former flame. "Whatever. Screw that bitch; she's history."

"You're such a sensitive soul," I teased.

Bella shoved me onto the nearby sectional. I tipped back onto the cushions, my legs hanging over the arm of the couch.

"I'll show you sensitive," she growled against my neck as she pounced on me.

"Hmm, I'm not convinced," I muttered, fueling the fire. I loved it when Bella took charge. Her domination was incredibly hot.

_You're about to be._

She'd gotten much better at controlling aspects of her shield. She likened it to rubber that could be withdrawn or stretched to cover additional minds. She often granted me access to her thoughts when we were together. I appreciated the added layer of connection; hearing her made it easier for me to gauge what she needed from me and when.

At first exposing her mind to me had made her feel raw and unprotected, but as time wore on, she was becoming more and more open with me, realizing that I would love her always. Nothing she could think would make me feel differently about her.

"Should we be doing this now?" I gasped as Bella's sharp teeth grazed along the shell of my ear. "Someone could come."

"Someone's about to," she agreed, a playful spark lighting her eyes.

I chuckled. "You know what I meant."

She fisted my hair, grinding herself against me in a way that made her intentions clear. This wasn't stopping, circumstances be damned. I got the impression she liked the thrill of making love in the open spaces in our home, where privacy wasn't guaranteed.

"I got rid of everyone," she explained proudly, undulating against me, her movements frantic with need, despite the layers still separating us. "I wanted you alone. They were very understanding."

I skimmed my hands up her back, lifting her shirt as I did. She grabbed the raised hem and pulled it over her head, tossing the shirt behind her without care. I admired the exposed skin; she'd neglected to wear a bra. As a vampire, they didn't serve much purpose, beyond the visual appeal.

"I bet they were," I groaned, dragging my lips along the column of her neck and downward to taut pink skin.

"We owe Emmett," she admitted, showing me a flash of the moment she'd bribed him. "I promised I'd help him clear out the place tomorrow. Now that he and Rosalie have decided they're mates, they're even more insatiable than usual."

"I know the feeling," I groaned, raising my hips to meet my mate's. The building pressure was growing unbearable. Bella slipped a hand between us to undo the fly on my pants.

_I hope it's always like this_, she offered. Even in her mind the words had a strained, breathless quality.

"It will be," I vowed.

I couldn't imagine my desire for her changing in the next decade, or the century beyond that. I was lucky to have a mate who was made perfectly for me. Bella embodied everything, physically, that I'd always dreamed of. Dark chocolate waves contrasted against luscious pale skin. Soft, delicate features and slim curves. And she was all mine. My possessive vampire nature thrummed with greedy satisfaction.

No more words disrupted the little slice of togetherness we'd managed to carve out. Clothes were shed; bare skin caressed and admired; bodies and minds joined in perfect unison, filling every sliver of empty space between us.

Bella's sign of gratification as she settled against my chest in the aftermath made my heart hum with pleasure equal to what our bodies had just shared.

The two of us were squeezed close together to avoid falling off the narrow sectional, our clothes scattered in a wild circle around us. I was pleased to note they were all intact. During some of our earliest encounters, our clothes had become a casualty of Bella's lack of familiarity with her newfound strength.

"How long did you manage to convince Emmett to haul off the gang?" I cuddled her closer, enjoying her nearness in post-coital bliss.

Bella laid her head on my chest as I stroked my fingers through the sex-mussed waves. "I'm not sure. He didn't tell me where they were going. I think he and Rosalie took the kids on some sort of day trip. Esme and Carlisle are out hunting. She didn't feel ready to be around so many humans."

I drew a line along the bare curve of Bella's spine. "That's normal. It's only been a few months. Your level of control isn't typical."

"I don't feel very in control," Bella admitted. "I'm constantly at the mercy of my urges. If I'm not thirsty, I want you."

I laughed, drawing her into another soft kiss. "Fine with me. It's the same for me, you know? All newly mated couples feel this way."

"Hmm, I think we're a little worse than average," she teased.

"Shit," I muttered as the sound of familiar minds entered mine.

Bella sat up in alarm, eyes darting around for the source of my agitation. "What's wrong?"

"Esme and Carlisle are on their way back," I groaned, flopping back to the couch. "We have 15 seconds tops. They're running full tilt."

Bella was up in a flash, gathering our discarded clothes from the floor. She passed me my jeans and t-shirt as she pulled her own clothes on hastily. My boxers were missing from the pile. A quick glance around the room yielded no results. I didn't have time to dwell on that, as Esme and Carlisle were visible through the tinted glass screen doors, so I yanked on my pants.

Bella flicked on the television and we settled into the sofa together, pretending we hadn't been naked mere seconds ago. It was a pointless endeavor; they'd know what we'd been up to with their heightened senses, but propriety dictated we at least pretend.

Esme's eyes were bright as she stepped into the room. She pointed at her clothes. "Look, no mess! My first clean hunt."

Carlisle gazed at her fondly, squeezing her arm. "She was amazing."

I shot Bella a glance, wondering if she saw what I was seeing. The adoration was plain on his face. Bella raised her eyebrows at me. _My money's on Carlisle._

She chuckled, leaning into my side. "That's awesome, Es. You're getting the hang of this vampire stuff."

"We can't all be naturals like you," she retorted, though the smile she directed at Bella was warm.

Bella shrugged, never one to accept praise at face value. "Do you think you're ready to try heading out into civilization?"

Esme pursed her lips. "Maybe. With the kids it's one thing – they don't really smell all that great. But when I run across an adult human scent… I don't know. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You were able to back away when we stumbled onto a human scent trail today," Carlisle pointed out. "You're more in control than you think."

Esme bestowed him with a winning smile and kissed his cheek. "Maybe."

If Carlisle had the ability to flush, he would be burgundy right about now. I muffled a chuckle, disguising it as a cough. Bella shot me a silencing look, but she couldn't resist a smirk herself.

"What's up with you two?" Esme asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Nothing, nothing," I muttered.

"Oh really?" Esme snarked. There was a pregnant pause. Her eyes glittered with mirth. "The underwear really spruce up the décor in here, by the way."

Bella and I both glanced around, frantically trying to locate the source of her comment. Directly behind us, hanging from the chandelier were my misplaced boxers. I snatched them from where they hung, shoving them in my pocket. Bella slapped my shoulder.

_You forgot your boxers? Seriously?_

I offered a weak shrug, unable to defend myself without making the situation worse.

We both sunk into the couch, embarrassed.

Carlisle chuckled. "Relax. We knew why Emmett suggested we go hunting. It's not like he's the most subtle person on the planet."

Esme chuckled. "No kidding. He asked me if I was thirsty. When I said not really, he asked if I was sure about ten times and then insinuated that I should practice hunting, and maybe Carlisle should come with me."

"What did you bribe him with?" Carlisle asked me, amused.

I pointed at my mate. "That was all Bella." I kissed her cheek, equal parts proud and embarrassed.

"I promised to clear out the house tomorrow," she admitted with a sheepish grin. "So, yeah, if you want to practice hunting tomorrow it wouldn't be the worst thing." She capped the statement with a wink.

Esme and Carlisle chucked.

"I think I can handle that," Esme agreed. "But you owe me."

Bella shot her aunt an affronted look. "You're blackmailing me?"

"I could tell Emmett a very interesting story involving a pair of boxers," Esme said, the picture of wide-eyed innocence, as she doubled down.

Bella gaped at her audacity. "You're cruel."

Esme grinned. "I know. So?"

Bella relented with a sigh. "What do you want?"

"The same thing all of you want," Esme offered with a grin.

Bella frowned. "The house cleared out? Why?"

Esme threaded her fingers through Carlisle's. Bella's eyes grew as wide as saucers. Mine couldn't be much smaller. I hadn't seen so much as a glimmer in their minds. They'd hidden their feelings well.

Bella gawked. "You guys? Since when?"

"Since about ten minutes ago," Carlisle admitted. "Esme brought up our relationship while we were out hunting. We think this might be something special."

Bella jumped up to hug Esme, while I did the same with Carlisle.

"We're so happy for you," Bella gushed. "We knew you two would be perfect for one another."

Esme glowed as Carlisle circled an arm around her waist. "I've never been this happy," she admitted, snuggling into his side. "I've never been a believer that everything happens for a reason, but I think the tide might be turning on that."

"So Esme made the first move?" I asked, beaming at my mate, who returned a scowl. Ignoring my competitive mate's chagrined expression, I pulled her closer, kissing the frown from her beautiful face.

"If I waited for him to make a move, I'd be waiting another century, at least," Esme said with a pointed glance at Carlisle.

He hugged her tighter, placing a gentle kiss on her temple. "Don't think that means I don't feel as strongly for you."

"You're too much of a gentleman. Don't worry, I'll help you fix that," she informed him, tracing a button on his shirt, her thoughts edging toward dangerously impure territory.

Bella grimaced. "I'm happy for you guys, but I'd like to keep my breakfast down, please."

Esme didn't even spare a glance her way. "Boxers," she reminded.

Bella and I were suitably embarrassed.

"Okay, okay. Sorry," Bella muttered, tugging at my wrist. "Come on, let's get out of here and leave them to… whatever." Her thought to me was petulant: _Why do I get the feeling she's going to be using that one for awhile?_

"Probably because she is," I muttered as I followed my mate, willing to go anywhere she would lead.

"Feel like hunting?" Bella offered as we ran, our hands linked between us.

Venom pooled at the thought, reminding me that it had been almost a week. Not that I would pass up an opportunity to see my mate in her element. She was gorgeous and deadly as she stalked through the foliage in search of prey.

Hunting with her by my side had made me see it as more than just a source of nutrition. I had never really enjoyed the process of tearing into a meal the way Emmett would. With Bella, I could finally grasp the concept. There was something sensual and fulfilling about hunting with my mate.

Catching the scent of a buck, Bella tore to the west. I stayed on her heels, letting her take the lead. It didn't take us to long catch up with him sipping water from a stream. His ears perked up as we drew closer. He sensed our nearness and darted in the opposite direction. He was no match for Bella. With an easy grace, she took down the creature, snapping his neck to minimize his suffering. The sight of my mate as she sunk her teeth into her meal had me mesmerized. I couldn't look away. No matter how many times I witnessed this, it always felt like the first.

She tore herself away and beckoned me closer as she licked lingering droplets of crimson from her lips. I sunk into a crouch beside her and sipped greedily from the animal she generously offered to share. We tried to be conscious of the animal populations and ensure they remain healthy and balanced. Limiting our meals and hunting in pairs made it easier not to overhunt.

Feeding together was one of Bella's favourite hobbies. Something about the base nature of it sent her libido, and mine, firing on all cylinders.

I felt her eyes on me as I pulled away, sated for the time being. I looked up, her dark gaze pinning me where I was crouched.

"Let's go," she demanded, her voice tensed with desire. Though it hadn't been an hour since we were together last, she was always like this after hunting.

I made quick work of discarding the carcass under a nearby pine. I had barely replaced the tree in the ground when Bella's lips pressed to mine, hard and desperate.

"I love hunting with you," she growled against my lips as she slipped her fingers into my back pocket, pulling me flush against her soft, willing body.

I pulled her closer, my hands curling around her hips. Her long brown tresses danced along the backs of my hands, soft and tantalizing.

I didn't answer; I crushed my lips harder against hers, letting her feel how much I wanted her. Our kisses were nothing like the soft, loving kisses we shared at the house. These were desperate, full of greed.

Bella groaned as we pressed against a nearby tree, grinding our desperate bodies together like addicts in need of a fix.

"I need you. Now."

"Me too," I groaned into her mouth. I worked on getting my belt undone, as Bella slipped her own pants down her legs. The rest of our clothing stayed on, forgotten in our haste.

We made short work of aligning our taut bodies. I held Bella tighter against the tree, cradling her tenderly against me. Even in our wildest, most tense moments I wouldn't forget that she's my mate; that means she comes first, always.

Bella's fingers clawed the tree pressed against her back, scraping off bits of bark as I thrust into her. Worked up by the frenzy of feeding, our tempo was frantic. We thrust and retreated in a practiced rhythm. Her hips met mine, fraught with tension. I felt her palpable need for release and wanted nothing more than to give her what she sought.

I propped her against the tree with one arm and used the other to tease her where she was most sensitive. I took pride in the look of pure ecstasy that washed across her face.

"Close?" I murmured into the softest part of her neck, still moving my body with hers.

"Yes, yes, yes." Her voice was worn thin by pleasure.

"Good." I growled, dropping a soft kiss onto the column of her neck and following it with a barely-there press of my teeth. Bella's hands tugged my hair, urging me forward. She loved being bitten when we were in the height of the moment. Almost as much as she liked returning the favour.

I listened to what she wanted, piercing her delicate neck with my teeth, my body continuing to drive into her. That's all it took to push her over the precipice she had been rapidly climbing toward. She moved frantically against me, wringing out every ounce of pleasure as her orgasm shook through her.

Seeing the bliss as it danced over my mate's features dragged me into my own release. We clutched one another, holding on as the last tremors rocked through us.

After several long moments, we unwound ourselves. Bella stood on her toes and pressed her lips to mine, softer this time, the passion behind it dimmed with satisfaction.

"Thank you," she murmured. "I needed that."

"You're insatiable," I teased. "It hasn't even been an hour."

She pressed her forehead to my still-clothed chest and wound her arms around my waist, her contentment apparent in her relaxed affection.

"You know what I meant. I needed it like that. Fast and dirty."

I kissed her forehead, smoothing my fingers over her sex-tousled hair. "Me too, love."

"I love you," she murmured.

"Always," I promised.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Edward_

**_AN: _**_Welcome to the last regular chapter! :) There's a two-part epilogue left, so it's not quite over. I'm going on vacation for a week, so they'll be posted when I get back. I've been busy the past week getting things ready to go (yay), but I wanted to get this posted before I went away._

xx

"Emmett!"

My brother turned to face his mate's sharp gaze with a sheepish grin, looking up from the pinball game he was invested in. "Yes, darling, love of my life, what can I do for you?"

Rosalie hitched a hand on her hip and arched an eyebrow at his too-sweet tone. Alice was holding her other hand, watching the exchange, all too accustomed to the banter between her guardians.

"You could play with one of the children. You know, the little people who are the reason we're here in the first place?"

For Jasper's fourth birthday, we'd brought the kids to a children's arcade. Emmett had bolted off to do his own thing the minute we'd arrived. His pockets were jammed full with the little paper tickets that the machines spat out.

Emmett gave Rosalie a winning grin and grabbed Alice, who squealed with laughter as he tossed her over his shoulder.

"Sure thing. Come on Ally, we can have some fun, can't we?"

"Yep, Emmy!" Alice chirped, happy to trade Rosalie's company for Emmett's. He was the perfect partner in crime for a place like this.

Rosalie turned to where Bella and I stood, setting her sights on my mate, who was tucked under my arm. Bella held the small stuffed turtle I'd picked out for her with my prize tickets. Her soft look of appreciation as I'd presented her with it was well worth my trouble.

"Come on Bella. I want someone to shoot hoops with me. The boys get way too competitive. And Esme has too many body parts attached to Carlisle."

She didn't wait for a response, grabbing my mate's arm and dragging her away. Bella shrugged and dropped a kiss on my cheek as she was tugged out of my arms. "See you guys later."

Left with no better alternative, I joined Emmett, who was trying to teach Alice how to work the pinball machine with little success. He was holding her up so she could reach the buttons, which made it difficult to demonstrate how to use the controls.

"No Ally," he laughed, as she plinked the arms of the pinball machine in an incessant rhythm with no rhyme or reason. "You have to wait until the ball comes, and then you hit it."

I watched with amusement. "Maybe it's above her skill level? She's only three."

Emmett shot me a determined look. "She's getting the hang of it. Aren't you, Ally?"

"Yep, I's doing good!" Alice agreed, glancing up from where she continued to mash the buttons with fervor, her little tongue poking out in deep concentration.

I kissed her dark head. "You're doing great."

Under Rosalie's guidance she must have been doing pretty well with other games, because the front kangaroo pocket on her overalls was overflowing with strings of tickets. The end of one of them was trailing on the floor.

I bent down to pick them up for her. Noticing where my attention was diverted, Alice pushed my face away with an affronted look. "Mine! Not for Teddy!"

Emmett gave a gasp of shock, only just masking his laughter. "Teddy, trying to steal from Ally! How dare you!"

I rolled my eyes. "Ally, honey, I'm just putting them in your pocket, okay? You don't want to lose them."

Alice shot me one last suspicious glance, but her attention was hastily returned back to the colourful buttons in front of her.

"Awice win?" she asked as the 'game over' sequence flashed along the LED display, signaling the end of the game.

"Lucky for you, everyone's a winner," Emmett told her, as he pulled out the short string of tickets the machine had spat out, placing them in Alice's overalls with her other tickets.

I shoved my brother once he set Alice on her feet. "Maybe if you'd try teaching her a game that's meant for kids her age, it wouldn't be an issue."

I took Alice's hand. "Come on, Alice, let's go play skeeball."

Emmett chortled, but followed us nonetheless. "Really? Skeeball? _That's_ what you consider a more child-friendly game than pinball?"

"You throw a ball. That's it. Anyone can do it," I argued, settling Alice in front of one of the skeeball lanes and grabbing the allocated set of balls.

Emmett was doubtful. "You have to aim."

"Whatever, just shut up and help me show her how to throw the balls."

I threw one of the balls down the lane, watching it pop up and sink smoothly into the hundred-point target with ease.

_Showoff. _A mental eye roll accompanied the thought.

Alice watched my demonstration with keen eyes. "I's throw balls?"

I nodded my encouragement. "Try to get them inside the circles. Do you see the holes? You want to get the balls inside, okay? The smaller holes are better."

A sweep of Emmett's mind revealed his thoughts were taking a very non-child-appropriate turn.

I cut him off before he could give them voice. "Before you speak, I'd like you remind you we're surrounded by dozens of kids who aren't ours," I said with as much patience as I could muster, which wasn't much. "Kids who have protective parents."

Emmett's lips curled into a pout, but he wisely decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

"You suck the fun out of everything," he muttered as we watched Alice try her hand at tossing a ball.

After a few missed throws and some additional guidance from us, she started to get the hang of throwing the ball with enough weight to make it fall inside the target. She was hitting the outer targets more than the inner ones, but she was having a blast.

"You're doing great, Ally," Emmett encouraged her. "You're getting lots of tickets. Do you know what you want to buy with your tickets?"

Before we'd introduced Alice and Jasper to the arcade games, we'd shown them the prize section. Bella and Esme managed to explain the somewhat complicated prize scheme. At least it seemed the kids grasped that getting tickets meant prizes.

Alice looked at us over her shoulder at us with a toothy grin. "I's get biiig pony."

Emmett and I glanced toward the prize redemption counter, wondering what it was that had caught her eye. I just hoped that she didn't think she could win an actual pony.

Sure enough, directly behind the counter, there was a plush unicorn that easily dwarfed Alice in size. It was made of some sort of iridescent material that shimmered in shades of blue and purple. No wonder she wanted the thing. It was like a shiny beacon calling out to little kids.

"Holy…" Emmett gasped. He shot me a worried glance, his voice dropping to a whisper so Alice wouldn't hear. "That thing costs about fifteen hundred more tickets than she has! What are we supposed to do?"

"We can't tell her she can't have it," I whispered back with a grimace. "She's so excited thinking all her effort is going to get her that thing."

Emmett rolled up his sleeves with a resolute grin. "Okay, Emmett is on it. You're gonna have to help, though. I'm good, but these games are stingy as fu- ow." He rubbed the spot I'd elbowed, giving me a baleful glare.

"Kids. Angry parents. Ring a bell?"

Emmett grumbled. "Yeah, whatever. Larger problem at hand?"

I glanced at Alice, who was hard at work tossing skeeballs. The look of concentration on her face was equal parts adorable and comical. It would be devastating for her not to get that "pony" for her efforts.

"I'm in," I agreed. "We should give the racing car game a try. The older kids are raving that it's giving out tons of tickets."

Emmett clapped me on the shoulder. "Finally, your mindreading is good for something. You keep looking for insider tips. I'll go get started on the game. See if you can pawn Alice off on Esme and Carlisle and meet me at the cars."

"Your dedication to Alice is touching."

"What? I'm trying to make sure she gets the toy she wants! I'm being an awesome guardian. You don't want her to throw a tantrum, or worse, give us the sad, sad puppy eyes, do you?"

I watched him retreat with a shake of my head, wondering what had possessed me to agree to go along with one of Emmett's harebrained schemes.

Alice's tug on my pant leg drew my attention back to her. She thrust a handful of tickets at me. "Teddy get big pony?"

I lifted her into my arms. "We're working on it. Soon, okay? How about we go play with Car and Esme for now?"

I found Esme and Carlisle sequestered in the booth where we'd fed Alice and Jasper disgusting-looking pizza earlier.

Esme had gotten better about being around humans, though she still preferred to keep her distance from crowds. She and Carlisle had opted to watch over our belongings rather than join the fray of overexcited kids and exasperated parents crowded around all the games.

They were nuzzled together, acting like the newlyweds they were. Both traditionalists, they'd opted to make their union official just over a month ago. The small but charming wedding had taken place in our backyard. The quaint elegance of the Italian countryside was a perfect backdrop for their happy ending.

Inspired by the tasteful soiree, Rosalie had begun planning an all out bash to marry Emmett. It wasn't the idea of marrying my brother that appealed to her so much as throwing an extravagant party to celebrate her (and, begrudgingly, Emmett). I expected nothing less than pure opulence from my soon-to-be sister-in-law, who enjoyed nothing more than basking in attention and pretty things.

Amidst all the hype surrounding my brothers and their nuptials, I'd quietly presented Bella with the white gold and diamond pave ring my mother had worn. It was an old fashioned piece, but I thought she would appreciate a sentimental antique over a shiny new ring. With the others getting married, it seemed only fair that my beautiful girl have her chance to shine. I'd marry her in a heartbeat if she'd let me.

Though she accepted my ring with a fervent kiss and shining eyes, she admitted that planning a wedding wasn't a priority for her.

She confessed that she felt like we were already married, and that was more important than any legal document. The mate bond tied us, for better or worse, and she didn't feel any rush for a formal arrangement. We were already tied together in every way that mattered.

I glanced around the expansive space for her, missing her presence, as I always did, even when only a short distance separated us. I spotted her playing some sort of dance step game with Rosalie. As a vampire, she'd become quite graceful, a noticeable contradiction from her human life.

As if she sensed my eyes on her, her eyes lifted to mine. She aimed a saucy wink my way, lifting the barrier of her mind. Her thoughts were muffled in the crush of human thought all around the room.

_See something you like? _

"Always," I mouthed. Her responding grin was dazzling and not the least bit shy.

My attention was dragged back to Alice by a tug on my shirt.

"Get pony?" she asked, turning longing eyes to the shiny stuffed animal.

"Emmy is working on getting tickets, okay?" I told her, propping her up in the booth opposite Carlisle and Esme, who had the courtesy to glance up from one another at our intrusion.

"Tickets," Alice explained, holding out a fistful of hers to me. "Go get pony."

I took the offered tickets. "Thanks. I'll do that. You stay with Esme and Carlisle. Is that okay with you guys?"

Esme disentangled herself from my brother so that a few inches of space separated them. I dutifully ignored his hand trailing up her leg under the table.

She smiled at Alice, who'd become like a second child to her. "Of course. We're keeping an eye on Jasper, too."

"Where exactly is Jasper?" I wondered, dubious of their child-minding skills in their current distracted state. The birthday boy was nowhere to be found.

Esme nodded towards a netted off area filled with plastic balls in a kaleidoscope of colours. "He's been bouncing around in the ball pit."

A second look revealed a tuft of Jasper's scraggly blonde hair beneath a mountain of plastic balls. He was grinning ear to ear, clearly enjoying himself.

Shrugging, I took Alice over to join him. They could keep one another entertained. Maybe he would take her mind off that stupid unicorn toy. I released Alice into the colourful mountain of balls to a squeal of laughter.

An older boy, who had to be 7 or 8, glared at her, annoyed that younger kids were invading his territory. He'd grudgingly accepted Jasper's presence, but the thought of playing with a girl was too much for him. He waited until my back was turned before advancing on Alice.

"Go play somewhere else. The ball pit isn't for babies," he sneered in the type of condescending voice only a child can manage.

"I's not a baby," Alice insisted, though her lip wobbled and tears threatened to spill at the insult. She wasn't used to being treated so aggressively. Jasper – her only regular playmate – was always malleable to her strong will.

The boy crossed his arms and doubled down. "Yes you are. I'm older and I'm the boss of the ball pit. I say you're a baby. Babies can't play here."

Jasper, who had been floating around nearby, wriggled his way over to Alice. Though the other boy easily had a foot on him, Jasper wedged himself between Alice and the little twerp who was harassing her. I stayed quiet, curious how Jasper, always unfazed by Alice's bossiness, would handle this kid.

"Alice isn't a baby," he told the other boy without flinching. He looked the boy straight in the eye, even though he had to look almost directly up to do so.

The boy was shocked by Jasper's audacity for defending the annoying newcomer. His shock quickly soured into a mean frown. "Whatever. You're a baby, too."

"I'm four," Jasper offered calmly. "Today's my birthday."

The other boy was unimpressed. "I'm almost seven. I'm _way_ older so you have to listen to me."

"You can't make me," Jasper said, stubbornly crossing his arms in a mirror of the other boy's pose. He took Alice's hand. "Come on Alice." Turning a cold shoulder on the would-be bully, he guided his best friend to the far side of the pit.

The boy stormed over to them. "I said go away!"

Alice shot him a glare, encouraged by Jasper's support. "Don't wanna play with you. No meanies."

Turning her back on the bully, she threw a ball at Jasper who caught it with a laugh. The two of them dived around the pit as they played their childlike games, ignoring the other boy. Frustrated by his lack of authority over the two younger kids he was forced to share the space with, the little tyrant stomped over to the exit, no doubt running off to his mother to bemoan his frustration.

I was shocked and impressed by Jasper's display of courage. It was rare to hear him so verbose. Though he had been speaking more since starting preschool earlier in the year, he was still prone to bouts of silence. Alice seemed to draw him out of his shell more than anyone else. It seemed he was as protective of her as she was of him.

Content that the issue was resolved and the kids would be fine, I sought out Emmett. I found him hunched in a too-small plastic racecar. My massive brother doubled the size of it, his limbs sticking out at awkward angles.

"What took you so long?" he groused as I approached. "I've been waiting for you forever!"

I smiled. "Kid stuff. Jasper shut down some little twerp that tried to bully Alice."

Emmett seemed impressed. "Way to go Jasper. That kid probably deserved – Hey!" He eyed his losing score and turned a glare on the girl in the adjacent car. "You promised you'd let me win!"

The young redhead shrugged and shot him a mischievous grin. "I'm trying! But you're playing so bad, there's nothing I can do. I mean, do you even know how to drive a real car?"

Emmett was affronted. "I'm an amazing driver! You have no idea what you're talking about."

The girl shrugged and leaned back in her fake-leather seat. "If you say so."

"That's it, kid. You're going down. Prepare to lose." Emmett stomped on the gas pedal in the car and jerked the steering wheel sharply.

I watched in amusement as my brother fought valiantly to beat a girl. Her car outpaced his with ease. She even managed to lap him. Twice. Emmett's look of outrage as the girl pulled her sizable string of tickets from the machine was gold.

"Sucker," she muttered, tucking them into her pocket. She ducked into the crowd, laughter trailing behind her.

Emmett tore off his woefully short string of tickets with a grimace.

"You promised this game was good!" he complained. It took everything I had not to laugh at the sorry picture he made. Squashed like a clown in a toy car, dejected by his loss at the hands of a preteen girl, he made an utterly ridiculous sight.

"The single player cars," I elaborated. "I didn't think you'd go around trying to beat children."

"Hey, give me some credit! I wasn't beating them–"

"So I see."

"–for nothing!" Emmett glared at me. "I promised that girl 50 bucks if she let me win."

"So you're not making kids cry, you're bribing them," I drawled. "That's so much better."

Emmett rolled his eyes at my dry tone. "Whatever, I didn't see you doing any better!" He handed me his roll of tickets. "How many do we have so far?"

I counted them up. "With Alice's, this brings us up to just over a fifth of what we need. You better get back to racing."

"Shut up and get in the other damn car," he grumbled, restarting his game, this time in the correct mode.

One look at him ensured that wasn't happening. "Not even if you paid me. I have some self-respect. Do you have any idea how ludicrous you look?"

"I look awesome in this baby and you know it." Emmett grinned, patting the hood of the car with a cocky smile.

I snorted. "I'm going to go find Bella and Rosalie. Maybe they can help."

Emmett grabbed the back of my shirt before I could take a step away. "Are you insane? We can't ask our women for help! That's like admitting we failed. If we can't win at video games, what do we have left?"

I appraised my brother, a little concerned how passionate he was about this issue.

"Are you really making this an issue of pride? Can't we just get Alice the damn toy?"

Climbing out of the car, he grabbed my arm, his look of determination firm. "We're getting that pony ourselves if it's the last thing we do."

I found myself being dragged to another game by my gleeful brother. "This is perfect!" He eyed the whack a mole game. "With my reflexes, I'm gonna rock it. Watch my back and let me know if anyone's suspicious that I'm moving too fast."

Leaning against a nearby machine with a sigh, I did as requested. I scanned the thoughts around us. No one was paying any attention to Emmett's inhuman reflexes. The only thoughts directed at us were coming from the direction of the seating area. I saw a flash of my face in some woman's thoughts.

Glancing toward the area, I zeroed in on the thoughts emanating from a brunette sitting alone. She shot me a wavering grin when our eyes met.

_He's looking at me! Be cool_, she coached herself mentally. _God he's so cute._

Not wanting to give her the wrong impression, I averted my gaze, focusing my attention on my brother. "Are you almost done?"

Emmett shrugged me off with impatience. "I've got a perfect score going. Don't distract me."

The woman who had been staring sidled up to me. "Hi," she greeted with a timid wave and a less than subtle glance at my ring finger. "I'm Siobhan. Are you here with your wife and kids?"

"Not exactly," I offered brusquely. I wasn't in the mood for dealing with some random woman, but I didn't want to bruise her feelings either.

"But you are here with a kid?" She laughed. "I mean, it would be kind of ridiculous not to be, right?" She pointed at some arcade games along the wall. "I'm here with my son Liam. He's 7."

I made a concentrated effort to be pleasant. This woman seemed harmless; she wasn't being aggressive or shoving her number in my face.

"Jasper's four, and Alice is three. Oh, and Emmett's twenty." I jerked a thumb in my brother's direction. "Though he might as well be four."

She glanced between Emmett and I with wide eyes. "Oh, you're – oh." _Wow, he's gay? Just my luck._

"What, no!" I grimaced, unable to let her think I was dating my own brother. I might not have been interested, but I wasn't pretending to date Emmett. Period. "He's my brother."

Siobhan offered a coquettish grin and pulled a business card from her purse. "Well, in that case…"

"In that case, nothing," the most beautiful voice in the world snapped, as an arm wound around my waist. Relief and guilt assaulted me. Though I hadn't been doing anything wrong, I couldn't help the niggling sense of shame.

Siobhan shrank back under my mate's possessive stare. "Um, uh, sorry. I didn't know – I'll just..." she pointed back to where she'd been sitting earlier and darted off.

"I wasn't–" I started, cut off my Bella's lips on mine. Her kiss was frenzied and possessive; she was marking her territory.

Blazing gold eyes burned into mine when we pulled apart. "No one gets to hit on you but me," she growled, her hands slipping into my back pockets. I squirmed, enjoying her attention more than was appropriate.

I kissed her forehead, drawing her into an embrace. "You're not usually the jealous type, love."

"I'm not jealous," she said hotly. "I protect what's mine. And make no mistake, you're _mine_."

I chuckled, sweeping her hair over her shoulder to drop an indulgent kiss on the nape of her neck. "You won't hear me complaining."

Emmett's exclamation shattered the moment. "Yes! Take that you stupid mole!"

Bella glanced at where he was still feverishly whacking moles. "What's up with Emmett?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't ask."

"Now you've got me curious."

"Alice wants that unicorn thing," I pointed out the iridescent stuffed animal on display. "He's got it set in his mind that he's going to win it for her."

To my surprise, Bella burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Rosalie just took our tickets up to go get it. When we were explaining the prizes to the kids, Alice told us what she wanted, so…"

I was impressed. "You guys managed to get that many tickets?"

Bella grinned, raising an eyebrow at me. "Doubting my skills, Cullen?"

I kissed her hair. "Not in the least, love. Frankly, I'm thrilled I don't have to play any more of these stupid games."

"Rosalie got lucky and won the jackpot at some luck-chance game," Bella confessed. "She got a ton of them." She glanced at my brother, who was still wrapped up in bopping moles. "Should we let Emmett know he's wasting his time?"

I smirked, not feeling the most charitable toward my brother at the moment. "Why don't we wait and see how long it takes him to catch on?"

Bella chuckled. "Sounds like a plan."

I tapped Emmett on the shoulder. "Em, we're going back to the table."

"Yeah, yeah, leave me to go make out with Bella, see if I care," he mumbled, not bothering to look over his shoulder.

Back at the booth, Rosalie had scooped up Alice and Jasper from the ball pit to ply them with ice cream shakes. They were happily slurping on their snack. Alice, much to her delight, was sitting atop her prized 'pony.'

She beamed at me and Bella as we approached the table. "My pony!" she explained, gleeful to have an exciting new toy. One that would most likely be forgotten and discarded the moment we got home.

"Ooh, that's pretty," Bella oohed and ahhed to Alice's satisfaction.

"Pony pweety. Awice pweety."

"That's true," Bella agreed.

Rosalie snorted. "Not going to have confidence issues with this one, that's for sure."

"You'd be surprised," I said, explaining what had happened between Alice, Jasper and the bully in the ball pit.

Rosalie high-fived a begrudging Jasper. "Way to go, Jazzy," she told him, full of pride. "You always stand up for yourself and Alice. Don't take poop from anyone."

Jasper gave a solemn nod, taking this advice very seriously. "He was mean to Alice. It's not nice to be mean."

"Speaking of being mean," I interjected, "Emmett doesn't know you bought Alice her prize. He's still trying to win tickets for it."

Rosalie snorted. "Is that why he was acting so weird? He was playing some racing game earlier and I tried to give him some pointers, but he wasn't having it. He got all huffy about how he could do it himself."

I chuckled. "That's why he was so insistent that we couldn't ask you for help."

A few minutes later, Emmett stalked toward our table, counting his tickets.

"Thanks for abandoning me," he grumbled to me, flinging himself into the last remaining seat. "Whatever. I think getting that many tickets is impossible, anyway."

I wrapped an arm around Bella's shoulders, wondering how long it would take him to notice we were joined by a ninth iridescent equine guest.

"We'll get her the smaller one, she probably won't even notice," Emmett continued. He turned to Alice. "Isn't that right, Al…" His mouth dropped open at the sight of Alice sitting on her cherished unicorn.

"Biiig pony pwetty," Alice informed him with a beaming smile.

"Where did that thing come from?" Emmett asked, chagrin in each syllable.

Rosalie grinned at her mate. "I won it for her, baby. Isn't that great?"

A storm cloud washed away Emmett's cheer. "Yes, great," he muttered, his tone flat. "Did you bribe the attendant at the counter or something?"

Rosalie's attitude did a one eighty. She glared at her mate, annoyed by the accusation. "Of course not. I won them myself. Well… Bella helped a little."

Emmett sulked, crossing his arms like a little boy. "I wanted to get it for her."

Carlisle patted Emmett on the back. "Look how happy she is. Does it matter who won it?"

"Yes," Emmett pouted.

"You know there's a problem when you're the least mature one at a table with two toddlers," Rosalie sniffed.

"I wanted to do something nice for Alice." Emmett grumbled. "I'm Emmy. Toys and fun are my thing."

"You don't need that, baby," Rosalie said, her voice softening. "You love her so much. You don't have to give her things to show that."

A hint of a smile cracked through Emmett's gloom. "Maybe."

"She's the luckiest girl in the world," Bella added. "She has six adults who love her and take care of her. If she grows up to be anything but the most spoiled child on the planet, we should consider it a success."

I chuckled at the thought. "God, can you imagine the havoc we'll be dealing with when she's a psychic teenager?"

Bella laughed. "Thank goodness that's still a decade away."


	21. Epilogue Part 1

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Alice_

**_AN: _**_Yep, you read that right. The epilogue is from Alice's POV. There are two chapters, so we're going on a bit of a ride. Hope you enjoy :) Thanks to everyone who has continued to support this weird little AU :)_

xx

_13 years later._

"Come on, Jasper!" I whispered to my best friend. My very _slow_ best friend.

"I'm coming, Ally," he grumbled, shooting a glare at me over his shoulder as he lumbered out of the window that I'd slipped through not a minute before with ease. He was going to get us caught if he didn't hurry up. Jeez, the noise he was making alone might be our downfall.

And then all my careful scheming would be for nothing. He was lucky I'd foreseen his less than graceful escape and accounted for it.

"It's like you're trying to get us caught," I muttered, tapping my foot while I waited for him to shimmy down the water pipe next to my second storey window. "Remember how I told you uncle Em would only be distracted by his Xbox for five minutes?"

"Not all of us are part monkey, jeez," he grimaced as he landed beside me in the grass with a soft huff.

"Finally. Let's move! We gotta take my car. Uncle Em will hear if we yours."

I grabbed his hand, dragging him around the side of the house to the detatched garage where my Porsche – a gift for my birthday, last month – sat in all its canary yellow glory. I patted her hood as I passed by; she hadn't failed me yet.

Lucky for us, Uncle Em made a really distracted babysitter – especially if we got him mixed up with his favourite video games. Jasper and I were teenagers; we didn't even need a stupid babysitter.

The problem was that we had six overprotective vampires for guardians. Six stupid, overprotective vampires who thought a pair of teenagers had no right going to a college party. Even when they were expressly invited.

"This is going to be awesome," I grinned as I slid into the driver's seat of my car. Jasper grudgingly slipped into the passenger seat.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked for what had to be the millionth time since we'd begun this adventure.

"That's a good question," a voice from the backseat commented, light with amusement.

Damn.

In unison, Jasper and I twisted, glancing into the backseat with unease. Uncle Edward and Aunt Bella were the portrait of calm and casual as they sprawled in the rear seats. His arm was draped loosely around her shoulders. She leaned into him, giving him one of the secret smiles they shared so often.

"Um, hi," I greeted, turning up the wattage on my most innocent grin. It was the smile that made my uncles turn to goo and buy me pretty things, like the beauty humming beneath us.

"Hello Alice," Bella returned my greeting with an arched eyebrow.

"Fancy running into you here," I chuckled, forcing my tone to remain airy. "Jasper and I were just running out for some groceries. We're all out of, um–"

"Jam!" Jasper supplied helpfully when my moment of floundering stretched on for a second too long.

"Jam," Edward repeatedly slowly, making it obvious how ludicrous that excuse sounded. To be honest, I could see his point. Thanks for nothing, Jasper.

Edward shook his head in amusement. "You two really need to step up your lying game."

Bella chuckled. "You two do realize that lying is futile with this one around," she jabbed her thumb in Edward's direction. "Well, unless you're me. I lie to spare his feelings all the time."

She aimed a saucy wink at her mate. Jasper and I turned away in disgust.

I groaned. "I don't even want to know."

"Do you want to explain what you were really doing?" Bella's tone was unfailingly pleasant.

"Not particularly."

Like I was going to admit anything when they had no proof. I knew how this worked.

"That's fine," Edward offered, just as amiable as his wife. "Since we already know and all. Did you really think you would get past us? Give us a little credit."

"I've been checking on the future constantly, and you guys were gone," I muttered, annoyed that my ability had failed me. "You were supposed to be hunting."

"We decided to go hunting earlier in the day," Bella explained. "But we got caught up in our cottage with something else." She smirked in Edward's direction. Ew, gross. "We didn't make a decision not to go hunting, we just forgot about it. Don't you know better than to trust your visions at face value by now?"

"Stupid decision-based visions," I muttered.

"If you think you're not in trouble because you didn't get away with this little scheme of yours, you'd be wrong, by the way," Edward explained. "No Porsche for a month. You're driving a car of our choice, including to school."

Edward began making decisions about the hideous cars he could buy to make us drive. He pictured a Toyota rust-bucket that was substantially older than me.

"Hmm, I'm picturing something brown," he suggested, looking to his wife for approval.

"With lime green and orange racing stripes," Bella amended with a grin. "And a huge 'I heart my parents' window sticker on the back."

I gasped at the monstrosity invading my visions. "That's not fair! We didn't even do anything. We never left home. You can't punish us for not doing anything!"

"You knew full well what you were doing," Edward explained, taping his temple. "I have concrete proof."

"You can't make me drive that thing!" I snapped. "It's social suicide. It's hideous. We'll be the laughingstock at the school."

Bella grinned. "But all your classmates will think your parents are so cool. Buying a car just to teach you a lesson? That's definitely cool parent territory."

"Who cares what they think about you?" I scowled. "What about _us_?"

"You don't have to do this," Jasper pleaded, though I knew he could care less what car we drove to school. He wasn't the type of person who let something as silly as what our classmates thought get to him. He was arguing for my sake alone. "We promise we'll be good."

Bella chuckled. "Do you think we were born yesterday?"

"No," I drawled with biting sarcasm. "We know you're like a hundred years old. You tell us all the time. You don't understand what it's like to be in high school."

Edward snickered. "Ally, I've been to high school a half a dozen times. If anyone knows what it's like to go to high school, it's me."

"Yeah, like a million years ago," I argued. "Things have changed since the age of the dinosaurs."

Bella chuckled. "You're driving that car whether you like it or not. If you don't like the punishment, you shouldn't have done the crime, kid."

I glowered at her in the rearview. "Don't call me kid. And we didn't know that was the punishment for sneaking out!" 

Bella shrugged. "Not our problem."

"Ugh, you're so unfair."

I yanked open the driver's side door and stomped back to the main house. Jasper followed me like an obedient puppy, trailing comforting words. His calming essence helped smooth over my mood, though it wasn't enough to erase all my fury at the injustice of the situation. We hadn't even had a chance to enjoy the party, yet we were getting punished! How was that even remotely fair?

Uncle Em was in the foyer when I burst inside; it was apparent he'd been waiting for us. His greeting grin was enormous. "I don't know whether I'm proud or appalled."

"I'm thinking proud," Jasper advocated, sending out gentle waves of pride, hoping that our uncle wouldn't notice the subtle shift in mood.

"Agreed," Emmett nodded, offering us both high fives. "You shoulda been a little more slick about it, though. I'm disappointed by your lack of foresight, squirt."

"Really, Emmett?" Edward sighed, materializing beside his brother. Bella was at his heels. "You make it impossible to discipline the kids."

"Hey, I'm in full support of your punishment. It's gonna be epic! Rose and I'll work on ordering a custom in the morning."

"We thought you and Rose might enjoy that," Bella shook her head. "But really, we should be punishing you, too. How could you let the kids sneak out? You knew they were a flight risk."

"Um hello, we're right here," I muttered, chagrined that they were acting like we were toddlers.

Bella glanced at me. "Oh there you are. I was worried you had tried to sneak out again."

I scowled, unimpressed. Stupid parents thinking they're funny when they're not.

"I was playing Halo 10," Emmett divulged without a trace of remorse. "I was totally kicking ass. It was awesome."

"Lesson learned," Edward drawled. "Don't leave Emmett alone with the teenagers. Got it."

Bella patted her mate's shoulder, dropping a kiss on his chin. "We learned that lesson a long time ago, baby. We just keep hoping he'll catch up to them in mental maturity."

By the next morning Jasper and I had regrouped. When we finally stumbled into the kitchen, Esme had breakfast on the table. She loved mothering both of us. No matter how upset she was, we could count on being the two best fed kids in Europe.

Jasper greeted his mother with a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Mom."

She stroked his shaggy blonde hair in the patented affectionate-Mom way.

"No problem, honey. Eat your breakfast. You, too, Alice."

Uh oh. That tone said she wasn't happy with either of us. Keeping secrets in this house was a lost art, I noted with annoyance. Stupid Edward and Bella had opened up their big mouths.

Jasper and I exchanged a glance, knowing better than to try to talk to her now. It was better to wait until she had a chance to cool down. With a shrug, Jasper took a seat and tore into his breakfast.

I sat down across from Carlisle, who was reading the morning paper on his tablet. At least I could count on him not to be annoyed with us. I didn't think I'd ever seen him in a bad mood. I wasn't sure he knew how to frown.

"Hey Carl," I greeted, taking a bite of Esme's perfectly crisped bacon and over-easy eggs. "It's a lovely morning, isn't it?"

He glanced at me over his tablet. "Beautiful; 25 and sunny. Wear a light jacket."

I shoveled in another forkful of eggs with a smile; I knew I could count on Carlisle to be in a good mood.

A parchment envelope propped up near my plate caught my eye. My name was written on it in a fancy calligraphy that screamed "important." It was sitting there innocently next to the salt and pepper. Who would send me a letter? Hadn't they heard of email?

"What's that?" I asked jabbing my fork toward the foreign letter.

Carlisle sighed. "That is something we'd like to talk to you about. It's from Aro."

"Aro?" I gasped.

I'd heard stories about Aro, of course. I knew he had abducted Jasper and me when we were toddlers, and that he was the reason that Esme and Bella were vampires. I couldn't remember anything about Volterra first-hand. Everything I knew about it came from the stories I'd been told by my parents. I knew Jasper remembered some of our experiences. He'd had occasional nightmares about it for years afterward, though it had been half a decade since the last one.

"Did you read it?" I asked Carlisle, anxious to know what Aro could have to say to me.

Carlisle shook his head. "It's not my place. Go ahead and open it."

I snatched the heavy parchment letter from its place and tore through the greasy red wax seal, curious what Aro could possibly have to say to me.

_Dearest Alice,_

_It has come to my attention that you recently celebrated your sixteenth year._

_At such an age, I'm certain you have begun to contemplate whether or not the life of an immortal is for you. Should you choose that path, I urge you to consider joining the elite ranks of the Volturi. It would be my express honour to count you amongst the Volturi guard._

_As such, I would like to extend you an invitation to visit Volterra. It is a lovely city and would be all the lovelier for your presence. If you find the city to your liking, I hope you'll consider making it a permanent home._

_Deepest affections,_

_Aro_

_P.S. Please invite young Jasper to join you. It would be my pleasure to host the pair of you._

The words on the paper seemed unreal.

I'd been begging my parents – all six of them – to consider changing me for close to a year now. They'd always refused on the grounds that I was too young to understand the consequences of making that choice.

Despite what they thought, I was mature enough to know what I wanted. Plenty of people left home, started lives, even had freaking children at my age. I knew I wouldn't regret my choice to become a vampire. I'd grown up with six, count 'em, SIX vampires as a constant presence in my life. I knew what the lifestyle was all about. I wanted it to be mine.

How come they couldn't understand that becoming a vampire was my choice, not theirs?

And now that life was being offered to me on a gilded platter.

Aro would change me, even if they wouldn't.

Glancing up from the letter, I was unsurprised to find all of my parents assembled. They had been waiting for this moment. They'd known it was a long time coming, and they'd neglected to tell me. They were more than happy to insert themselves into my business when it suited them. Yet, they'd purposefully kept me out of the loop with this, for their own selfish reasons. They wanted me to remain their dumb kid for eternity.

Only Jasper remained oblivious. He glanced at the yellowed parchment in my hands with detached curiosity. "What's it say?"

"Aro is inviting us to come to Volterra. He wants to change us. He's offering us a place in the guard."

Jasper tensed; he didn't share my eagerness to be a vampire. He was careful and methodical. He liked time to think and plan, whereas I was happy to go with the flow and enjoy the spontaneity of the moment.

"Ally… are you sure that's a good idea?" I could feel his apprehension seeping around the room. It was making me feel things I didn't want to feel.

"Stop it," I frowned. "Don't push your stupid feelings on me. I hate when you do that."

Chastened, the Jasper's fog of doubt lifted. "I'm sorry Ally," he muttered. "You might not remember Aro, but I do. He's… strange. I don't trust him."

"Jasper's right," Bella offered, her tone gentle. "There's a lot you don't understand about Aro, or what it means to be a part of the Volturi."

"We've sheltered the two of you from our world," Rosalie chimed in, "But there's a lot of negative that comes with being a vampire. It's not all glamourous."

"Aro's a perfect example of that," Edward continued. "He plays nice when it suits his purposes," he pointed to the paper in my hand. "But he's not the kind of vampire that you want to be associated with. He'll do anything – absolutely anything – to get what he wants."

"He wants you, squirt." That was Emmett's contribution. It was like they'd planned this little intervention. Maybe they'd practiced with cue cards.

"We've never explained this," Emmett continued, "but you were the catalyst for happened all those years ago. Aro saw stars when he laid eyes on you. Your gift… it was the ultimate temptation. With the ability to control the future, he'd be unstoppable, and he knew it."

"He was willing to imprison two helpless children," Esme input, her tone laced with restrained fury. "He was that enraptured. He's a cruel and selfish. You should think carefully about whether you want to align yourself with him and his values."

"At least he wants me," I said, managing to keep the tears threatening at bay. "You say you love me, but you don't want me around forever. I'm just a doll you play house with to pretend you're normal! If you really loved me, you'd want me around for eternity."

"Alice," Carlisle's soft baritone was soothing to me and I hated it. "It's not that we don't want you to be a vampire."

"None of us had a choice in becoming a vampire," Bella explained. "Each and every one of us was forced into this life. We've made the most of what we've been dealt, of course. You, on the other hand, have a choice."

"You have the unique opportunity to _choose_." Rosalie continued Bella's line of thought, proving once again that they'd planned this dumb charade masquerading as parental concern. "We just want you to be certain you're making the right decisions, for the right reasons, at the right time."

"We know you think you'll never change your mind now," Bella offered. "But you're sixteen. Do you really want to be sixteen forever? Think about it. Emotionally, mentally, physically… you'll be sixteen forever."

I rolled my eyes at the condescending words. "Whatever. You're just making excuses. Edward was seventeen. What freaking difference does one year make?"

"Do you think I wouldn't change that if I could?" Edward asked, his tone soft. "Being forever seventeen isn't necessarily the gift you would think. I'm doomed to forever look like a teenager. I'll never look old enough to hold a job for more than a few years at a time."

"Such a tragedy," I sneered. "You never have to get bored working some stupid job."

"There's a lot more to it than that. You'll never be able to get close to anyone ever again. You'll constantly be moving from place to place to ensure that no one questions your age."

I shrugged. "So what?"

Edward persisted, his condescending attitude refusing to budge. "I wish I could make you understand the experiences you would be giving up. We're not saying that you should never want to become a vampire; we're saying that you should wait a few years."

Bella was in agreement with Edward. What else was freaking new? "Being twenty-two when I was changed was a gift," she claimed. "I was old enough to have had some life experiences to shape me into a well-rounded person, but still young enough that people don't question why I'm with Edward."

"Whatever," I sighed; I was so over this whole parental inquisition.

Aro had understood I was old enough to make my own decision. Why couldn't my own parents? Probably because they would always see me as the same little kid I'd been when they had found me. Well, too bad for them. I'd grown up whether they liked it or not.

"I'm old enough to make a cognizant choice," I informed. I hoped including a word from my university vocab prep would help prove my case.

I turned to Jasper, ignoring my parents. As far as I was concerned, this discussion was closed, and none of their business. It was between me and Jasper.

"Jazz, I think we should meet with Aro. I mean, we don't have to make a choice right away. But he was kind enough to offer. We should at least pay him a visit."

Jasper glanced at the sweeping words on the letter that he'd grabbed when I'd set it aside. "I don't know."

"It's just like a campus tour," I reasoned. "You check out the facilities, see if you think you'd fit in. Then you make a well-informed decision about whether to apply."

It sounded perfectly logical to me.

Jasper's tension eased up a little; I could tell he was being swayed. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt."

"Alice," Emmett interjected in his serious voice. I was only Alice when I was in trouble. Usually it was Squirt, or on a good day, Ally or Al. "Aro isn't the kind of vampire you want to be your sire. I know what it's like to want to rebel against authority, but please trust us on this one."

"There's no harm in visiting," I reiterated for the billionth time. "I promise I'll consult you before I make a final decision."

There. That sounded reasonable and mature, right? I could act grown up when I wanted to.

Esme sighed. "I don't like this, Ally-bear."

"That, right there is the problem," I grumbled, "I'm not your Ally-bear! You all think of me as this two-year-old you found on your doorstep. You refuse to let me grow up! Every time I try to get some so-called 'life experience,' you guys jump all over me a bunch of mama bears. How am I supposed to grow up if you won't let me _do_ anything?"

"Ally…" Carlisle tried his soothing crap, but I was done.

I shoved my half-eaten breakfast away in disgust. "Whatever, I'm leaving. Come on Jasper, I texted to Megs to pick us up for school since we can't use the Porsche and our fabulous new ride isn't here yet." I made sure to infuse every word with dripping sarcasm.

A honk from outside called our attention, just as I'd known it would. My gift was good for something after all.

Jasper spared a wary glance at our gathered parents, but stood to follow. Unable to leave things on an uncomfortable note, he pressed a kiss to the cheek of our aunts and his mother.

Outside, Maggie was waiting for us in her shiny, cherry red BMW, a newer version of Aunt Rose's vintage model. Her grin drooped at the sight of Jasper and I.

"What's with you two? You look like hell. Late night?"

"Just tired, I guess," I offered with a wan rendition of a smile. It wasn't like I could explain the real situation to our normal friend with normal human parents.

Maggie shrugged and set the car in reverse to pull out of our driveway. Uncle Carlisle didn't like it when we drove over the pristine lawn he maintained with careful diligence. Even Maggie, who spent countless hours at our house, had learned better than to mess with the grass.

I listened with disinterest while Jasper and Maggie made small talk on the ride to school. Usually I'd be the one leading the conversation, but today I wasn't in the mood for mindless chatter.

I waited until we were pulling into the school parking lot to ask her the question I'd been waiting to since we'd left.

"Hey Megs, can I borrow your car?"

She glanced at me from the driver's seat. "Why?"

Jasper was alarmed. I could feel his tension seeping into my bones. "Ally, you aren't–"

"I want to go somewhere, but my parents are being jerks about it. So I'm gonna go now. I promise I'll have your car back by end bell."

Maggie's eyes widened. "You're cutting? The whole day? That isn't like you."

"I'm tired of being _like me_," I muttered. "Being like me sucks. I want to be someone fun for once."

"Ally, I don't know if this is a good–"

I glanced into the backseat at my best friend. "I'm not going to make you come, Jazz. You can go to school. I'll catch up with you when I get back."

"Where are you going?" Maggie's eyebrows were knit together in concern. "You're not in trouble or something, right?"

"Nothing like that," I assured. "I'm just going to Volterra to visit a friend."

Maggie handed over her keys as we all exited the vehicle. "Be back before dismissal or my parents will kill me."

I kissed her cheek. "Thanks, you're the best!"

She waved me off. "Don't mention it. Drive safe, okay?"

The music that signaled it was time to get to class began to play, loud even in the parking lot. With a last wave, Maggie headed inside, leaving Jasper and I standing by her car.

Jasper heaved another sigh and crossed his arms. "I don't think you should do this. At least wait until our parents can come… just in case."

"_Our parents_ don't want me to go. If I don't go now, who says I'll ever be able to?"

"Ally, be reasonable," he pleaded, giving me the puppy eyes that were usually a sure thing. "I love you. I'm just trying to look out for you."

"I love you, too. But I'm going. I'm sorry if you don't like it." I jerked my head in the direction of the school doors. "There's your out."

"You know I'm going to come if you go."

I grinned, embracing him. "I knew I could count on you."

His chin settled on top of my head. He was easily a foot taller than me. He let loose yet another sigh that reverberated through every point of contact. Jeez it wasn't that bad. We'd be back in a few hours, none the worse for wear.

"For the record, I'm only doing this under duress. I don't want to go, but I can't let you go alone."

I kissed his cheek, which pinked under my lips. "That's fine. As long as you come."

We buckled back into the car, and within minutes were cruising down the highway to Volterra. If all went according to plan, the drive would be a couple hours long. Plenty of time to get to Volterra, find Aro, and get back in time to return Maggie's car.

Jasper and I passed the time humming along with the old tunes on the radio and playing the car games we'd learned during road trips growing up.

As the highway signs began to announce we were approaching Volterra, Jasper's nerves took a steep hike upward. He was clouding the car with his sour mood.

"Jazz…" I warned.

"Sorry," he muttered, checking his feelings. The tension lessened but didn't disappear.

"Can't you at least pretend to be excited? This trip could change our lives forever!"

Jasper turned to me, his sharp blue gaze imploring. "I'm trying okay? But you don't remember Aro. I do. The guy… he's not quite right. He's creepy as fuck, and I'm not looking forward to seeing him. Alright?"

"But joining the guard…"

"Isn't something I want," Jasper finished, his voice firm. "Who wants to be at stupid Aro's beck and call for the rest of their life? If I'm a vampire, I want to be able to enjoy it. And Edward's right… I don't want to be stuck being seventeen forever, either."

"I'm not sure what I want," I admitted. "I just want to see all my options laid out, I guess. I'm not saying we have to do this today, okay?"

I slowed the car, pulling off the freeway into the city. The GPS on my phone was alerting me that we were only miles out from the heart of Volterra. I knew the Volturi compound was located somewhere near the central square based on my visions, but I wasn't quite sure about the entrance. I wasn't worried; we'd figure it out.

Jasper squeezed my hand. "Good. We need time to think about this, you know?"

I gave him my most reassuring smile. "I do."

A glance outside revealed we were at our destination. I could see the familiar towering figures of the buildings that lined the square. Parking next to the first metre I came across, I stepped out of the car, eager to stretch my legs after the long drive. Jasper did the same next to me, letting out a little hum of pleasure as he unfurled his long limbs. The BMW was an awesome car, but it wasn't exactly spacious.

I drank him in with a smile. My soul mate was a sight to behold. Lucky for me, he didn't have a clue. He forever thought of himself as the shy, misfit little boy he'd been once upon a time. I'd known since we were children that he was the one meant for me. I didn't need my parents' stupid mate bonds to know that.

I clasped his hands in mine as he leaned against the car.

"Jazz?"

He met my eyes with a hum to indicate he was listening.

"I want you to know that I won't go through with anything unless you're 100% sold. You're the most important thing to me. I know I'm stubborn and a pain in the ass and–"

"Crazy," he supplied helpfully.

"A little" I agreed. "But what I'm trying to say is… we _both_ have to be sure. You and I are in this whole forever thing together."

He hugged me, tightly enveloping me with his lanky frame. The warmth of his love surrounded me like a worn and well-loved blanket. "I know that."

I smiled. "Good. Are you ready to do this?"

He offered a small grin. "As I'll ever be."


	22. Epilogue Part 2

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Alice_

**_AN: _**_Sorry for the wait on this. I had some computer issues. Hopefully it's worth it ;) This is indeed the last one – though as promised I'll be posting the outtake from Bella's POV._

_One last big thanks to everyone who has followed this fic and shared their support, especially Jana who has always encouraged me to keep writing. Up next for me… I hope to continue Lightning, as I promised I would. I also have a few other AH ideas percolating, so we'll see._

xx

My hand clasped in his, Jasper and I strolled toward the central square that had featured in my visions once or twice.

I wasn't really familiar with any of the members of the Volturi – Jasper had been correct in pointing out that I didn't remember Aro – so they weren't a common focus in my visions. The flashes of the future I saw usually centred on people I was close to; Jasper was by far the most frequent visitor in my head.

If I concentrated hard enough, I could sometimes see the outcome of a particular event or person's future, but to do so was draining and required a lot of my attention. Most of my visions came to me on whim, without my conscious participation.

We'd only made it half a dozen steps before a vampire in an inky velvet cloak greeted us. The hood was pulled low over his brow to conceal his refractive skin. He shared the same intoxicating scent my parents did, though his barely visible scarlet eyes said he didn't share their approach to feeding. He bowed before us, a sign of respect.

"Miss Cullen, Mr. Whitlock. It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance. Master Aro has been awaiting your arrival with much anticipation."

A wash of insecurity slipped over me at Jasper's behest. Repressing it the best I could, I addressed the vampire in front of me.

"Who are you?"

His smile displayed a perfect row of glimmering white teeth. "My apologies. I should have introduced myself. I'm Demetri. I have a talent for finding people. I never forget a mind. Yours has changed over the past thirteen years, of course."

"You met us when we were here last time?"

His sharp scarlet eyes appraised us from the shadows of his hood. "Yes, of course. Your family caused quite the scene, you know. It was memorable, to say the least."

I raised a questioning eyebrow. "Vampires never forget anything. Memorable isn't a word that belongs in your vocabulary."

Demetri's smirk caused Jasper to grip my hand tighter. "You seem quite knowledgeable about vampire physiology, Miss Cullen."

I offered a modest shrug. "We live with a gaggle of overprotective vampires, what did you expect?"

Demetri's chuckle was warm. "No one is sure what to expect of you, to be quite honest; you're unlike any human we've ever come across. Even Alec and Jane didn't show such substantial promise. Aro and the other leaders are most eager to see how you've grown. Shall we head inside?"

Jasper and I followed him through the winding streets into a foreboding alley. My attuned senses screamed out at the threat of danger – these vampires could kill us in a fraction of a second if they so desired – but I quashed it. The most elite vampires in the world were recruiting Jasper and I. They wouldn't risk killing us if we were as special as they claimed.

At the end of the alley another vampire lay in wait, guarding a heavy metal door. Demetri brushed him aside, guiding us into the cramped space revealed behind the door.

"Here we are," he explained pleasantly pressing a button to lower the elevator. "Home sweet home to Volterra's most elite. Perhaps one day you shall feel the same."

"We're not sure we want to join," Jasper asserted, his voice echoing loudly in the cramped metal box. "We wanted to get a feel for how the guard operates before we make a decision."

Demetri nodded as if this made perfect sense. "I'm sure you'll find life in Volterra is a unique experience."

"I can't wait." I turned to face Jasper with excited eyes. My stomach was churning with equal parts nervousness and anticipation. Jasper wasn't quite as thrilled; his blue eyes were tense, with an edge of worry that was impossible to disguise.

Unbidden, an image of my infuriated parents slid into my mind. They'd just gotten a call from our school informing them that Jasper and I were absent from our classes. Mrs. Cope made the your-kid-is-absent calls at 11:30 PM sharp each day, just before her lunch break. A glance at the face of my cell told me that was five minutes away. Not wanting our meeting with Aro to be interrupted by a call from my overprotective parents, I turned it on silent.

I knew it wouldn't take them long to deduce where we had gone. At the speed they could run, they would be here within ten minutes of finding out. That gave us fifteen minutes total to converse with Aro before our nosy parents butted into our business. I hoped by then we'd understand what the Volturi was offering us.

I turned to Jasper, shooting him a meaningful look. "Fifteen," I whispered, hoping he'd understand. His blank return gaze told me that he didn't.

For his part, Demetri pretended he hadn't heard a thing, though he must have heard clear as day.

"Ah, here we are," he announced when the elevator came to a halt. The metal gates slid open before us, revealing a cavernous hallway with massive vaulted ceilings, decorated with intricate designs.

"I remember this place," Jasper muttered. He pointed up ahead. "That's where the throne room is."

"Quite correct, Mr. Whitlock," Demetri offered. "Shall we go say hello to the three most powerful vampires in the world?"

My nod was eager. I hopped a little, excited to have this taste of adulthood. This was going to be epic! So much better than the bland college tours that my parents had escorted Jasper on over the past year.

The main throne room was even more intricately detailed than the hallway. Shining marble in deep black and grey tones covered every available surface. Our steps were loud as we approached the three thrones situated on the far side of the room, even though both Jasper and I wore rubber-soled sneakers. Demetri glided across the floor without making a sound, his vampire grace making him light on his feet.

Situated in the centre throne, brilliant red eyes gleaming, was the man I recognized as Aro. The others – Caius and Marcus – were stiff as statues, their faces impassive. Aro's gleeful grin at the sight of us more than made up for the standoffish vibes emanating from the other two.

"Alice, Jasper! My how you've grown! It seems like only yesterday that you were two baby-faced toddlers rolling about my floors."

"Hello Aro," I greeted with a polite nod of my head to denote my respect. Beside me Jasper did the same.

"I can scarcely believe you are the same children," Aro sighed, gazing upon us with something akin to pride. "You are sixteen and seventeen now, yes?"

Jasper and I nodded.

"So you shall not be the youngest of the guard then," Aro offered, gesturing to two diminutive vampires standing with what I assumed was his guard.

The mousy-brown haired pair stood next to motionless, their stony gaze flicking to us as though we were a waste of their precious attention. The girl seemed to have a permanent sneer affixed to her face.

"Alec and Jane were but fourteen when they were collected. Saved from a bonfire in days of witch hunting." Aro shook his head with dissatisfaction. "Foolish humans often waste precious gifts, you see. They don't know any better."

"Jasper and I want to make use of ours," I declared, wanting to prove that we weren't foolish kids who didn't know better – the kind of people our parents seemed to think we were. "We were excited when you extended your offer to visit. We'd love to see what kinds of things we could do as a part of the guard."

Aro was thrilled with my proclamation. "You are eager to make use of your talents. That is an excellent start. Many with gifts squander them." His gaze darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "Some vampires choose to flounder about, never making use of the rare and precious gifts that have been bestowed upon them."

His eyes cleared as they settled upon Jasper and I. "A psychic and an empath. Two mighty talents, indeed. Marcus, here shares a gift much like yours," Aro told Jasper, meeting his blue eyes with startling red. "He sees the bonds between people, and has the ability to influence them, much the way you do with moods."

Aro laid a papery hand atop Marcus'. "Isn't that right, old friend?"

"Indeed." Marcus' voice was a raspy baritone that sounded as though it got very little use. "The two of you share a unique bond. You are what we vampires would call mates; fickle humans have no such applicable term."

"How about soul mate?" I suggested, grasping Jasper's hand in mine with a grin.

Marcus cracked a smile. His face seemed to be unused to forming the cheerful expression; it was like his muscles couldn't remember to lift in the required way.

"Perhaps."

"You would find it difficult to be apart as vampires," Aro added. "Living with the Cullens, I'm sure you've witnessed as much? Those with mates discover it is challenging to be away from their other half."

I thought of each of the couples in my house. Edward and Bella and the way they were constantly gazing at one another when they thought no one was paying attention. Carlisle and Esme and how they exchanged loving touches as they passed one another in the kitchen. Emmett and Rosalie and the way he'd grab her ass when I invited friends over, just to be as embarrassing as possible. I couldn't picture any of them without their other. Would I feel that strongly about Jasper one day? The idea of it made my heart flutter.

I glanced at him, only to find he was staring at me with a similar expression.

"We'd like to be here together," I explained, my eyes still on Jasper. "Or not at all." Jasper's affectionate gaze confirmed every word.

"Most excellent," Aro added with delight. "That settles that issue."

"What exactly is it that the guard does?" Jasper wondered. "We'd like to have an idea of what we'd be doing, before we consent to anything."

"Ah, so we're getting down to the tough questions, hmm?" Aro asked, the corners of his lips curling into something resembling a smile. "The Volturi guard monitors vampires worldwide to ensure that, as a whole, we remain safe. Your job, should you choose to join us, would be to use your talents to locate impudent vampires, so that the threat they pose may be dealt with adequately."

Jasper spared me an uneasy glance. His anxiety slithered around the room.

"When you say, 'dealt with adequately,' what do you mean?" Jasper's question hung in the air for several uncomfortable seconds.

Aro steepled his fingers in front of him and gazed down at us. "It depends on the situation. It could be anything from a strict warning to cease their behaviour, to in the most severe case, death."

"Who decides?" Jasper questioned.

"We do," Aro explained, splaying his hands to indicate himself and the other two leaders. "We take into consideration information supplied by our guard, of course, but the end decision is ours."

"So there's no trial or anything?" Jasper wondered. "It's just decided by you?"

Aro smiled. "I assure you we're quite capable of making informed decisions. We endeavour to be as fair as possible."

Jasper wasn't convinced. "That doesn't seem right," he muttered. "I mean, there's only three of you, no matter what you take into consideration. Shouldn't other vampires have a say, too?"

Aro's smile tightened. "Young man, my colleagues and I have thousands upon thousands of years of experience roaming this earth. Trust me when I say our decisions are made with a deep understanding of what is best for all of us."

Jasper's pursed lips indicated that he disagreed with Aro's assessment of his abilities, but knew better than to argue.

I offered the leaders a tentative smile hoping to make up for the tense atmosphere that had descended. "I hope you don't mind if we need some time to think about our decision?"

Aro nodded, appraising us with shrewd eyes and a Mona Lisa smile. "Indeed, I expected as much. No matter, I'm certain you shall come to the right decision in due course."

A glance at my watch revealed my parents were due any minute. It would be best if we met them outside; if they got into a clash with the Volturi, it could end badly for all of us.

"It's probably best if we head back home," I suggested. "Our parents are already going to be peeved we skipped out on them."

Aro waved off the notion, his nonchalant attitude unnerving. "Don't be ludicrous. You're plenty old enough to make your own decisions. Please, stay for a tour, at the very least. Get to know Volterra. It is to be your home, after all."

Jasper's tension mounted. I couldn't help but feel my own hackles rise at the way Aro seemed to take it as a given that we would join him.

"Really," I reiterated, "I think it's best if we head out now."

"I insist." Aro gestured to one of the guards behind him. "Felix, please escort our guests to the living quarters. It's crucial that they experience all we have to offer, in order to make an informed choice."

I knew in that moment that Aro had no intention of letting us leave here alive. The vision that descended a moment later confirmed my hunch. In devastating slow motion, I saw Aro order us to be transformed the moment we left the room.

My only choice was to delay the inevitable and hope my parents could get here in time. As much as I wanted to be a vampire, I didn't want to be forced to become one under Aro's power. I knew for certain that Jasper didn't want this. The uneasy way he addressed Aro made that apparent. For him, I would do my best to put a stop to it.

I tucked my hand into his and squeezed his fingers, praying that he would understand what I was trying to do.

"Maybe it's a good idea if we stay in Volterra a little longer," I told him, my grey gaze burning into his blue one with purpose. I kept my voice slow and measured, drawing out the seconds.

Another glance at my watch revealed I had to delay another minute, at least. I was quite certain Aro had no idea that my parents were on the way. He wouldn't be so calm and unhurried if he suspected as much. Bella must be shielding them from the prying gifts of his guard.

Jasper's eyes sparked with something akin to recognition.

"Um, okay," he drawled, his words as sluggish as mine. "Maybe we should check out the place a little better. I mean, that was what we did with the colleges, right?"

I nodded. "Yes. I think it's only fair."

Aro was pleased by our acquiescence. "Excellent. Felix–"

"But first, I think I have some more questions," Jasper piped up. "Um, about our duties? If we were to, you know, join you?"

If Aro was peeved by the delay, he didn't let it show on his face. He nodded obligingly. "Please, ask away."

Jasper paused as if trying to drum up a question out of thin air. I held my breath, praying we weren't transparent. Finally, after what seemed like an eon, he spoke.

"Would we be able to leave Volterra? Or would we be required to stay here all the time? Or would we be chasing rogue vampires around the world?"

"A little of each, I suppose," Aro offered mildly. "Different situations require different talents, you see. If your talent was needed in any given situation, you would be expected to go wherever necessary. Otherwise, you would be expected to remain in Volterra."

"So we couldn't leave to visit our parents?" I tacked on another question, biting my lip anxiously.

"Members of the guard are allowed to take leave as we see fit," Aro answered, indicating himself and the other two rulers. "Of course, you are welcome to have visitors here in Volterra, as well."

"So–"

Aro cut me off, glancing down the darkened hallway behind us with impatience. "We seem to have a situation approaching. I don't want to expose you to angry vampires who might harm you. Please, allow Felix to escort you somewhere safe."

"Actually," Jasper interjected, his tone pleasant, "if you don't mind, we'd love to witness how you work. See what we're signing up for?"

"I'm quite certain your guard could keep us safe," I offered with wide-eyed innocence. "Couldn't they? I mean, they're the best at what they do, right?"

Aro's lips thinned. To deny my request would indicate his guard was unable to fight off the threat of an out-of-control-vampire. The thought of admitting such weakness was abhorrent to him.

"Of course. However, you might feel safer–"

A familiar voice rang out, tone echoing off the stony walls. "Alice! Jasper!"

"We're here!" I called, staring down Aro with a defiant gaze. His return gaze was cold.

The hulking vampire that he had spoken to earlier, stalked forward to grip my arm. In his other meaty fist, he did the same to Jasper.

"Take them away," Aro commanded, his voice stony. Without a moments' notice, Felix began to drag us toward a corridor behind the thrones. Jasper and I kicked and screamed to no avail.

I could just make out my parents bursting into the room around the extravagant throne blocking most of my view. The six of them formed an unyielding wall in front of Aro; the expressions they wore shared one trait: fury.

Felix stopped, gesturing for the rest of the guard to form a protective semi-circle around us, where my parents couldn't reach us.

"Alice! Jasper!" Esme gasped, her hands lifting to cover a tearless sob. She turned to Aro, her eyes blazing with rage. "Let them go. Now. You have no right to touch them."

"Alice and Jasper came here of their own volition. I did not force them."

Carlisle held back his mate with gentle arms. He muttered something in her ear that seemed to calm her, before turning to address Aro, his wife still tucked in his embrace.

He tipped his head respectfully, though his eyes remained apathetic. "We had an agreement, Aro. The children were not to be harmed."

"While they were still children, Carlisle," Aro supplied, his words dismissive. "They are full grown now. And quite capable of becoming functioning vampires."

"Have you forgotten what you stand to lose by hurting our family?" Bella snarled, her golden eyes burning.

"I suspect, given the circumstances, that you did not come quite as well prepared this time," Aro said coolly. "I believe you've lost your advantage."

He waved a pale hand at Felix. "Bring the girl here."

Felix gave Jasper a shove, sending him sprawling to the concrete ground; a smarting of pain surged through the room as Jasper's palms made contact with the hard surface. Several of the nearby vampires circled him, preventing him from reaching out to me as Felix dragged me to the foot of Aro's throne, tossing me at his master as though I was nothing more than a rag doll.

Aro snatched my hand in his, refusing to yield when I tried to pull it away. "Don't!" I demanded. "Leave me alone!"

"Frankly, I could care less what you want," Aro snipped. "Your gift is more use to me than you are."

"I won't let you see a thing," I declared, staring him down with every ounce of insolence I had in me. "I can stop the visions if I try hard enough."

Aro was beyond listening. He'd made up his mind and what I thought didn't factor into his decisions. He gripped my hand tighter. The icy chill of his skin was cold and uncomfortable. His eyes glazed as he prodded his mind into the depths of mine.

After a moment, his gaze cleared and settled on Bella, the scarlet red seething with annoyance.

"You."

Bella gave him a cocky smirk. "I'm not just a newborn anymore."

Recognizing that I would be no use to him with Bella protecting my thoughts from him, Aro cast me aside with a grimace. He cut his eyes to the assembled guard, giving some sort of unspoken command.

Edward wrapped an arm around his mate's waist in a protective gesture; he must have intercepted whatever sinister plot Aro had come up with to punish Bella.

"To touch her, you'll have to get through the rest of us."

His words were spiked with white-hot anger. The rest of the family stepped forward, forming a defensive barrier around Bella, who in turn shielded all of us.

"Jane and Alec's gifts are of no use to you," Edward continued, his words callous. "So choose carefully whether or not you want to start a fight."

Aro's fists clenched around the arms of his throne, creating small fractures that marred the expensive stone.

"_Thirteen_ _years_ I've been under your thumb." His voice told a story of years of repressed rage. "I am the Volturi. My place is not beneath the likes of _you_."

His scarlet gaze flicked in the direction of the guard; there had to be at least seven or eight of them gathered around in addition to the three leaders seated in their thrones.

"Put an end to this foolery," he commanded. "They have been a stain on my good name for long enough."

Time seemed to speed up in that moment. Vampire bodies flew through the air at speeds too swift for my inferior human eyes to follow. I could only make out flashes of the people I loved as sounds similar to the crack of thunder filled the room.

I spied a glimpse of Edward's rusty golden hair as he clashed with a vampire whose dark cloak swished around them in streaks of black. I saw a flash of the bright fuchsia shirt I'd helped Rose pick out on our last excursion to the mall when she landed a lethal roundhouse kick to one of squirrelly little vampire twins. The swing of Bella's waist length hair twirling around her as she danced away from the clutches of a vampire twice her size.

I glanced around the room, desperate to spot Jasper and assure myself he was okay. I found him huddled against a wall, trying to avoid the vampires thrashing violently in the space around him. He was pressed up against the wall as though trying to make himself disappear into it. He was no longer being guarded; all the vampires that had been circling him were now spread around in the fray.

A pair of entangled vampires – Emmett and Felix – crashed into the ground inches from his feet, smashing a gaping hole into the shining marble floors.

Jasper's frightened blue eyes connected with mine.

"I love you," I mouthed, hoping this wouldn't be my last opportunity to repeat those words. If it was, I'd have only myself to blame. It was my naivety and overconfidence that had landed us here. Why hadn't I listened to Jasper or my parents? I made a promise then and there that I'd spend the rest of my life making it up to all of them.

"How adorable," Aro drawled, analyzing Jasper and I. It made the moment I had just shared with Jasper feel impure, knowing he was watching.

In the midst of the chaos, Aro and the other two leaders sat as calm and cool as a breath of arctic air, like they couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the outcome of the battle raging right in front of them.

Aro glanced down at me patronizingly. "If you'd simply done as I asked, we could have avoided all this, you know. Now you'll have to watch as I burn your family to ashes."

I met his cool stare with one of my own, refusing to show him any weakness.

"Ah, I see you've inherited some of that stubbornness that you Cullens are so fond of."

A detached head came flying through the air, rolling to a stop right at the base of Aro's throne. Blank red eyes stared up from the face of an unknown Volturi soldier. A moment later another joined it. This time I recognized the face. I glanced at Carlisle's glazed features in horror.

I cried out, a sob choking in my throat. "Carlisle!"

A roar of pain that could only have emanated from Esme filled the room. I turned just in time to see her stalking toward the vampire who must have beheaded her mate. In a flash, his head was rolling on the ground with the others.

Aro cast a look of disgust at the growing pile of vampire parts. "So much waste. It's a pity really."

"Carlisle is your friend!" I choked out through the tears that dripped from the end of my chin. "How can you be so cold and uncaring?"

"You'll soon understand that a ruler has no room in his life for friends. I must do what it best for my people."

"Your people!" I spat. "More like yourself! My parents were right. You're a selfish and disgusting excuse for a vampire. You could care less what's best for anyone but yourself."

"My dear, I suggest you watch your tone. Your life is in my hands."

"You won't kill me," I said fiercely. "You want my talent too much. If you kill my parents, I vow that I'll make sure another vision never crosses my mind; I won't help you if it's the last thing I do. Turn me if you want. I won't forget!"

"You'd be surprised what venom can make you forget," Aro said breezily, watching the chaos around him unfold with calculating eyes. He seemed confident that his guard would protect him, though several members had already fallen at the hands of my enraged parents.

I took in the destruction around me, searching for signs of familiar faces amongst the rubble. I was relieved to find none of the others seemed to have fallen victim to the guard.

"I'll never forget this, and I'll never forgive you!"

"Then you will be imprisoned until you learn your place," Aro explained icily. "Either way, you _will_ obey me."

I repressed a grin as a vision fluttered through my mind under the protection of Bella's. Aro wasn't as infallible as he thought. He was about to be taught a long overdue lesson in humility.

I glanced across the room, meeting Edward's eyes just as he tore the head off of another Volturi soldier. He had seen the vision too. He knew the role he had to play.

I did as I was supposed to, providing the minute distraction that would capture just enough of Aro's attention to be a problem.

"Whatever. I think you misunderstand just how stubborn Cullens can be."

Aro smirked at me. "My dear–"

A blur of movement crossed my path and a moment later, Aro's decapitated head landed in front of me with a thunk. Edward shot me a grim smile from behind Aro's now headless body, tossing it aside with utter disgust.

Caius and Marcus watched the scene unfold with wide eyes, unable to believe what they were seeing. That someone would dare think to touch them was unfathomable. Marcus smiled with something akin to relief. Caius, however, stood to run like the pathetic coward that he was. Esme, Rosalie and Emmett descended before he could take a step. His inactive body was not used to movement, and lacked the speed and grace of the younger vampires.

The remaining four guards that hadn't yet been taken down dropped to their knees at the sight of their fallen leaders. They bowed before the vampires that had taken down the trio of millennia-old vampires without blinking an eye.

"You," Edward barked at the one closest to him. "Find me a piece of paper. If I hear you think about contacting any others that are not on site, you'll meet the same fate."

The man stood, scurrying off to fulfill the request.

Jasper hurried over to me, tripping over strewn vampire parts as he did. He clutched me in an iron grip. "Alice! Are you alright?"

I shrugged him off, my eyes filling with guilty tears. "I'm fine. Carlisle–"

"I know. I saw. He'll be okay, I promise," he whispered, watching as his mother went to gather the pieces of her husband and set to work reassembling him with the tender dedication only a mate could.

Bella, Emmett, and Rosalie circled the remaining three guards with menacing stares. The guards remained in their submissive kneeling positions, unwilling to risk their lives. Their vampire sensibilities selfishly insisted they save themselves at any cost.

The guard that Edward had commanded to find him a piece of paper returned clutching a piece of parchment and an ink pen, which he handed to him, before once again sinking into a non-threatening pose.

Edward scrawled something on the paper in a rushed script, and handed it back to the man.

"Give this to Aro once you put him back together."

The man gasped. "You're not going to burn them?"

Edward sneered at him. "We have no intention of stooping to the debased levels that the Volturi has. We simply wanted our kids back. Now that we have them, we're leaving. You're free to do as you wish. But I suggest you rethink if these are the type of men you want to work for, Eleazar."

The man – Eleazar – bowed his head once more. "You are merciful; we shall remain forever in your debt."

"The same goes for the rest of you," Edward amended, glaring at the trio of vampires huddled before his mate and siblings.

Rosalie stepped forward to usher Jasper and I outside. "Come on troublemakers," she sneered, her gaze still carrying the heat it had when she faced down the Volturi. "The two of you are in for the punishment of a lifetime when we get home."

I glanced back at my remaining family members, worried what might happen when we were out of range. But Rosalie was having none of it.

"Don't worry about them. Move your asses." She jabbed a finger in the direction of the corridor we'd entered through. Jasper and I slunk down it, sufficiently shamed.

"Rose, we're sor–"

"Don't," she fumed, her tone full of repressed anger as she stomped along behind us. "Do you have any idea how dangerous what you did was? How badly this could have gone? Do you have any concept, whatsoever?"

"I–"

"That was rhetorical! I'm not ready to listen to anything you could possibly have to say."

We exited the building in complete silence, both Jasper and I too afraid and ashamed of our behaviour to utter another word. The cramped elevator ride was stifling with Jasper's overwhelming humiliation clouding the space. Rosalie's silent irritation made it all the more suffocating.

It was only when we were standing in front of Maggie's familiar cherry red BMW that Rosalie deigned speak to us again.

"Get in the back. I'm driving." She held her hand out for the keys, which I passed over without hesitation. "The others are going to run alongside us in case there's a retaliation."

"There won't be," I muttered in a small voice. "I've seen it. We get back home fine."

"Well, that's a relief," Rosalie drawled, cutting her eyes at us angrily as she threw the car into drive. "I'm so glad we can count on using your visions to make smart choices."

She muttered under her breath as she drove, her irritation far from subsiding. I could make out words like "reckless," "dumbass," and "fucking stupid," among more colourful insults.

Jasper and I exchanged glances, knowing better than to comment. An angry vampire was not a vampire to be messed with.

I suppressed a gasp, as a vision of Aro reading Edward's note slipped into my mind. I glanced out the window at the passing scenery, wondering if he was seeing what I was; of course, if he was out there, he was well hidden from snooping human eyes.

_Aro, finally returned to consciousness, unfolded the note that Eleazar had been instructed to give him. He scanned the text. There were only ten words on the paper, but they had the desired effect. Aro stiffened. His naked apprehension was impossible to miss._

_**Next time, there will be fire. Do not test us.**_

_Aro was impassive as he refolded the note and handed it back to Eleazar, demanding he get rid of it as if the mere sight of it caused him pain. _

Aro had been taught a lesson he wouldn't soon forget.

I could only imagine what was in store for me. Maybe if I was lucky, I'd get a glimpse of it so I could prepare myself.


	23. BPOV Outtake

**_Title:_**_ Three Vampires and a Baby_

**_Summary_**_: Immortals and perpetual bachelors Emmett, Carlisle and Edward find themselves the guardians of a mischievous human girl after she's abandoned on their doorstep. With the unexpected help of one of Edward's classmates, they navigate the landscape of raising a child, learning lessons in love and parenthood along the way. AU._

**_Pairings:_**_ Canon_

**_Rating:_**_ M_

**_POV:_**_ Bella_

**_AN: _**_Some of you have already read this outtake – it covers Bella's experiences after she's kidnapped. But for those of you who haven't, enjoy :) This is the last installment of this fic – for now anyway. A few of you asked to see A/J as vampires. If I can think of an idea worth reading, I might be back one last time. No promises._

_A note regarding the second epilogue: yep, that was the end. Some of you were quite upset with Alice, perhaps rightly so. She did a stupid thing. But keep in mind she's only a teenager, and she's grown up sheltered by overprotective vampires. She wasn't trying to ruin lives or get anyone hurt by ignoring her parents; she's just a naïve teenager who made a dumb choice because she's a know-it-all teenager who thought her parents were exaggerating about the danger. She's not perfect and neither are her visions. She was wrong. Trust me, she's learned her lesson. Lucky for her, she isn't stuck at 16, and will grow up._

xx

I frowned at the sound of the doorbell. To my knowledge, neither Esme nor I was expecting anyone. I checked that Jasper was immersed in the goings-on of Pinocchio. Satisfied that he was glued to the television and would stay out of trouble, I arose to find out who was at the door.

A glance through the window revealed my boyfriend's apprehensive face. Even anxious, he was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Alice was tucked in his arms. I allowed myself a moment to appreciate how adorable he was holding a baby.

"Couldn't stay away, could you?" I teased, opening the door.

Edward bent to leave a lingering kiss on my lips. "Sorry to drop in like this. I wish I could stay, but I kind of need emergency babysitting." He glanced down at the girl in his arms and returned his hopeful golden eyes to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked, wondering if something had happened to his brothers.

Edward's responding look was reassuring. "I need to run to the university to help Angela fix one of the pianos. There's a big concert tonight so I need to hurry, and I can't have this one underfoot."

I smiled at the squirming toddler in his arms. "I can see how that would be a problem. Come on Alice," I offered, taking her from Edward, "Jasper's going to be so happy to see you."

"Japper!" Alice squealed. She was delighted, as always, to spend time with her best friend.

Edward kissed me, his appreciation evident in the soft press of his lips against mine.

"Thanks for doing this. I appreciate it."

I grinned, unable to resist leaning in to sneak one last kiss. "You'll make it up to me," I said in a suggestive tone. I would be more than happy to cash in on that I-owe-you. "Now go save the concert."

Edward waved and said his goodbyes to Alice. The affection they had for one another was so cute it made my heart melt. A blink later, he was gone.

I closed the door behind me, turning to find my aunt watching from the staircase.

"Who was that?" she asked, descending the last few steps. She chuckled when she spotted the girl in my arms. "Nevermind, I think I can guess. Where _is_ Edward?"

"Not here. He had to go to the university to help Angela out. I guess Emmett and Carlisle were busy? So Miss Cullen is hanging out with us for awhile."

"What a hardship." Esme tickled Alice, who giggled and halfheartedly pushed her away.

"Japper?"

"Impatient to see Jasper, huh? He's watching Pinocchio," I explained. "Let's go find out if he's a real boy, yet."

I turned to take Alice into our living room, but was startled by the door bursting open behind me. Assuming Edward had returned or forgotten something, I turned to greet him with a smile.

Instead of my boyfriend, I came face to face with another vampire. The brilliant red eyes made it clear that he didn't share my vampire's values when it came to protecting human life.

"Hello, Bella," the unknown vampire greeted pleasantly.

I backed away as several others filed in behind him, each of them wearing the same inky cloaks. As they converged on Alice and I, it hit me like a punch to the gut; these vampires were the Volturi that Edward had told me about.

Aro was instantly recognizable. If his long, oily hair and papery skin hadn't given him away, the crazed look in his eyes would have done it.

I backed myself into a corner, holding my body between Alice and the intruders, though the logical part of my mind knew to do so was futile. They were so much stronger than me that any attempt to protect Alice would be in vain.

"What do you want?" I demanded, refusing to let my voice tremble. If I were to die at the hands of the Volturi, I would do it with my head held high.

"Bella?" Esme questioned, her tone desperate. Her eyes were dilated in fear. "Who are these people? How do they know you?"

I remained mute, unable to communicate the depth of danger we found ourselves in. Nothing I could say would make her understand what these people were capable of.

I stared down the men hovering over us with bravado I didn't possess.

"Jasper!" Esme gasped in remembrance, fleeing to gather her son.

Aro watched her leave the room with a serene smile, as if her escape was the last thing that concerned him. He waved a hand at the largest of the cloaked figures, indicating he should follow her. In a flash, the vampire returned with a stone fist clenched around Esme's bicep. She clutched Jasper to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Please don't hurt the children," Esme begged. "Please! I'm begging you!"

Aro ignored her. "Take the seer outside," he commanded a small brunette girl breezily. She couldn't be more than fourteen, yet her cold, world-weary gaze spoke volumes about the unspeakable acts she'd committed. "Alec, Afton and Eleazar will deal with the others."

"My lord, if I may," an olive-skinned vampire interrupted, his words deceptively soft, "the seer is not the only gifted among us. The girl and boy child are also talented."

Aro sighed as if this information ruined his carefully laid plans.

"Is that so?" He held out a hand to the other vampire, who shuffled over, placing his hand in the papery white one.

Aro stood perfectly motionless, his filmy red eyes glazed. After a moment of digging through the man's mind, he burst into cackling laughter. The usual demented gleam returned to his gaze as it settled on me.

"Oh! This is most excellent." I could almost see the cogs turning in his malicious mind. "Most excellent, indeed. We shall use this to our advantage."

I turned to run, unwilling to stand and do nothing. Before I could move an inch, a pair of stone hands jerked me backward violently.

"Give me the child," the brunette girl demanded. Alice whimpered, burying her face in my shoulder.

"Now, Jane, let's be nice," Aro scolded in delighted amusement. "Bella will be one of us soon."

Jane's red eyes turned to slits, unable to mask her disgust.

"As you wish, Aro," she sneered, her lip curling. She tore Alice from my arms, giving me a shove as she did.

I stumbled; the force behind her push made it impossible for me to recover. I tumbled to the ground, ignoring the sting in my knees and palms.

Alice thrashed in the girl's granite grip. Her grey eyes begged me to take her. With one last sneer, Jane disappeared out the door with Alice, who let her terror be known with indignant wails.

"Alec, take the other child to Alice," Aro demanded. "Perhaps that will silence her."

"No! You can't take Jasper," Esme cried, sobbing and clutching her son closer to her chest. "Please, I'll do anything!"

Alec followed the order with a smirk, snatching Jasper from his mother. Esme was helpless to stop him.

Jasper whimpered, reaching for his mother. "No! No! Bad! Bad!" he screeched as Alec carted him outside, where Alice's wails could still be heard.

"You don't have to do this," I beseeched, my heart tearing for my aunt's pain. "If you're trying to hurt the Cullens, take me instead. Leave the others out of it."

Aro glided over, crouching next to me. "My dear, you are more valuable than you realize."

He stroked my cheek. I cringed, skittering backward. Having his hand on me made me feel unclean.

Aro's tranquil smile said he was undeterred. "So spirited." He stood, nodding to the other vampires. "Change the girl and dispose of the spare."

With a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

"Esme!" I cried, scrabbling to reach her as the two remaining vampires descended.

"Bella! Oh god!" she sobbed, gripping my forearms. "What do the Cullens have to do with this? Why are they doing this to us?"

"I'm sorry," was all I was able to whisper, before we were separated.

The olive-skinned vampire dragged me away while the other vampire did the same to Esme. I struggled against the iron grip holding me in place, kicking and screaming with all my energy. It was a pointless endeavour.

There was a sharp pain in my chest, followed by bone-numbing pain. I crumpled, succumbing to the sudden agony. Blackness descended, but provided no relief; I could still feel each stab of pain acutely.

The torment was inescapable and all encompassing; I could feel, hear, see nothing. Only an unending sea of misery lay before me.

Years later, just as I was about to go mad from the endless agony, the pain began to drift away, gradually becoming more bearable.

After an eon, my senses began to return from the void.

I could feel something soft beneath me. I could smell the odors of everyone who had been here before me. Voices began to drift into my consciousness.

I tried to move, but my body refused.

"She's twitching like she's having a seizure."

The words were said in a cruel, high-pitched voice I recognized as Jane's. She chuckled, relishing my pain.

"Stupid bitch. I hope she suffers."

"Now, now, sister," a smoother, calmer voice reprimanded with a hint of amusement.

Alec.

"I'm sure Aro has his reasons for keeping her."

"Of course he does," Jane drawled, a note of worship in her syrupy tone. "Aro never does anything without purpose."

"The Cullens are on their way to claim her as we speak. Demetri's been keeping tabs on them. They landed in Italy last night. They're biding their time, I suppose."

Jane sounded surprised. "Where are they now?"

"Demetri was vague. Somewhere near the French and Swiss border. Apparently _Carlisle Cullen_," Alec spat the name with distaste, "owns a property there."

Jane was unperturbed. "I don't understand all this fuss for _her_. She's utterly useless. Aro already has Renata for a shield. Why does he need another?"

The siblings laughed. The malice in their giggles sent a shiver down my spine.

"Sister–"

"She'll make a pathetic addition to the guard." Jane continued, her voice laced with spite. "She's unworthy of such honour."

Alec sighed in a longsuffering way. "You know as well as I do that she is a means to an end. Aro desires to have Edward Cullen. His gift is more unique than his mate's."

"She's unworthy of him," Jane sneered. "Edward should have picked a mate with gifts equal to his own."

I heard what she had left unsaid. She had wanted Edward. Red-hot fury boiled within me at the thought of that little bitch being anywhere near him.

"She doesn't hold a candle to you," Alec simpered to his sister. "Edward is a fool. This girl is utterly useless. Her only value is as a pawn that will tie Edward to Volterra as Aro wishes."

Something in me exploded. The frayed thread that tethered me where I lay snapped.

Without warning, I was flying across the room toward Alec, my mind teeming with anger. Everything that had happened over the last few days came to a head, fueling my rage.

The way they were manipulating Edward; that I was being used to hurt him; the two innocent children that had been ensnared in the process; the thoughtless disregard for Esme's life. All of it converged in that moment.

I glanced down at my hands in horror. The rough texture between my fingers alerted me that I was holding Alec's head in my hands, gripping his hair in my balled fist. His sightless eyes were glazed with death. In utter disgust, I tossed his head in a corner.

Jane stared at the scene in shock.

"Alec!" she screeched. "You fucking cunt!"

"Shut up," I snapped. "Just shut up."

Jane was irate that I would dare challenge her. "You have no idea who you're messing with, do you? No one fucks with the Volturi! Least of all some pathetic nobody like you! Aro is going to punish you for this stunt! You're going to _begging_ for him to kill you when I'm done with you."

She stared at me, a smug smile twisting her childlike features into something ugly. After a moment, a look of pure terror flashed across her face. She turned to run but I was faster.

I catapulted myself across the room, landing on her shoulders. The two of us crashed into an adjacent table, wood splintering around us. Flipping her over and pinning her with my heavier weight, I growled in her petrified face.

"This is for Edward," I snarled, yanking her head clean from her neck.

Throwing it into the corner where Alec's head was still squirming, I stood, brushing the splinters of wood from my tattered clothing.

I glanced around the room that I hadn't paid much attention to until that moment. My keen instincts instantly zeroed in on the tiny basement window as a means of escape. The vaulted ceilings could have made it difficult to reach. Lucky for me, my new vampire body could scale the wall with ease.

I listened for a moment, to see if anyone was approaching to find the source of the ruckus we'd caused. I couldn't make out any voices in the area beyond the door. It appeared I was alone. Or perhaps the room was soundproofed, even to my sensitive vampire ears.

Not dwelling on the reason, I stripped Jane out of her heavy black robe. We were close to the same height. With the hood down and her scent lingering on the heavy fabric, perhaps it would buy me some time if I were to be spotted.

Cringing at Jane's cloying scent, I wrapped myself in the robe.

With one last glance around the room, I clambered up to the window I'd spotted. I punched out the glass pane as if it were made of tissue paper. It was a close fit, but I managed to squirm though.

Yanking the hood of Jane's robe down to conceal my face, I darted away from the building I had escaped from. I ran at the speed of wind, meandering through the narrow streets and avoiding open areas where I would be easily spotted.

My legs pumped at an inhuman pace, the ground hardly touching my bare feet. Hoping I was a blur to curious human eyes, but too terrified to slow down, I ran without purpose, putting as much distance between my captors and myself as possible.

When I was surrounded by greenery, deep within the Italian countryside, I decided I was no longer in immediate danger.

I abandoned Jane's weighty cloak, unable to tolerate her putrid scent a moment longer. Remembering what I'd learned from years of safety drills at summer camp, I made sure to cross my own path and travel in circles to confuse anyone who might be searching for me.

Secure in the knowledge that I was safe for the time being, I slowed to a steady sprint and considered my options.

I'd instinctively run to the north, where Alec had mentioned Edward and his brothers were. Other than my innate compass, which told me I was heading north, I had no idea where I was.

I could smell a hiking trail somewhere to the east. The pungent aroma of human sweat and exertion was dense and made my throat burn. Hoping I could find a map that would give me a better idea of where I needed to go, I headed in that direction. I kept my distance from the worn path, unable to tolerate the intense burn of being so near where countless humans had trampled.

Within minutes, I came to a clearing with what looked to be a guidepost. I noted with relief that there was an information centre. I made my way over to it, well aware of my disheveled state. I was relieved to see it was closed for the evening and appeared to be empty.

"Sorry," I muttered to no one as I smashed the door open. It was necessary, but I still felt bad about destroying property that wasn't mine.

Inside I found a wall covered in hiking and tour brochures. Snatching one that claimed to be a map of Europe, I ripped it open. Unused to my newfound strength, I tore the delicate paper. I paid the gash in the map no mind.

Pleased this map would be satisfactory for my needs, I stuffed it in my pocket.

Half an hour and several consultations to my map later, I was sure I was getting close to the area that Alec had indicated. With my unmatched ability to calculate the distance I'd travelled and my innate knowledge of directions, orienteering was a hell of a lot easier than it had ever been as a human.

Listening carefully for any sign of Edward or his brothers, I combed the landscape. I crisscrossed the land in ever widening circles, hoping to stumble upon something that might help me find them. I had no idea where they would be, or if Alec's information had been accurate. Without any money or other options, I was growing desperate.

As hours slipped by without a sign, I grew more frantic. I felt near tears, but was now incapable of them. Slumping onto a fallen log, I allowed myself a moment of pity. I consulted my now worse-for-wear map for the hundredth time (actually the hundred and eighth, but who was counting?) sure I had to be getting close.

I would give myself a couple more hours to find them, I promised myself. If I came up empty, I would figure out how to get back home and hope they would find me there.

Feeling better now that I had formed a contingency plan, I continued scouring the countryside, my eyes and ears sharpened for any clue that would lead me in the right direction.

I'd been at it another forty-five minutes when I came across the most mouthwatering scent I'd ever smelled in my life.

Fighting the urge to follow it was impossible.

Try I as I might, my feet had a mind of their own, carrying me toward the ambrosial scent. I was frightened by the power of my desire and the knowledge that it was quite possible I would hurt someone.

Then I heard the most wonderful voice in the world.

"Not a chance," Edward whispered, his voice light with laughter.

Unable to resist, I careened toward him, leaping onto him with the delicacy of a freight train. We tumbled to the ground, rolling around in dirt and leaves. Edward growled in surprise.

"Bella?" he gasped suddenly, just as I sunk my teeth into the solid flesh of his neck. He groaned as I sucked greedily, unable to help myself.

"Edward!" I sniffed, yanking myself away from him. Panic surfaced to replace the pleasure. I'd tried to hurt _Edward_! I was disgusted with myself.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bite you! I was just so happy to finally find your scent… and next thing I know, I'm trying to kill you!"

Edward seemed unconcerned, pulling me against him with a glorious smile that made me feel fluttery.

"You weren't trying to kill me," he explained, tenderly brushing a thumb over my cheek. I searched his eyes, desperate to believe him. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him. "You were telling me you loved me. You were claiming me as yours… marking your territory."

Still wary, I glanced into his golden eyes, certain he was just trying to make me feel better.

"Um, well that's good to know, because it felt really_, _um, _nice_."

I was glad my human tendency to turn red was gone, because that was the understatement of the century. I was quite embarrassed by just how amazing it had felt. The mere memory of sinking my teeth into him sent a tingle of pleasure surging down my spine.

"For me, too," Edward assured, kissing my forehead and then each cheek, his hands slipping over my hips and the small of my back, getting accustomed my new form. "It's one of the ways we show affection."

I combed my fingers through his hair, shaking out the dirt and leaves that had gotten caught in the coppery mess when I'd wrestled him to the ground.

I scanned his form, paying close attention to where I'd bitten, making sure I'd done no permanent damage. The skin was already healed. God, it hurt to look at him now. If I'd thought he was gorgeous before, that was nothing compared to how he looked without the blurred filter of human sight. He was perfect.

"You're not just saying that? I really didn't hurt you?"

"You didn't hurt me." He pressed his erection to my stomach as evidence. Greedily, I shifted closer, desperate for more of him. My mate.

A loud cough interrupted our reunion. I snarled at the intruder, springing to my feet defensively. Edward was _mine_, and no one would touch him without _my_ permission.

Edward's soft touch dragged my attention back to his concerned face. He caressed my fingers with his, slowly dragging them up my forearm. I was helpless to do anything but stare down at him, more than a little turned on by his touch.

"Bella," he intoned in his smooth baritone, "you remember my brothers Carlisle and Emmett?"

Still feeling a little out of sorts, I glanced at the interlopers for the first time. I recognized them immediately, though they looked different through my new eyes. I nodded, embarrassed by how I had reacted to their presence, but still wary of them for reasons I couldn't explain.

Edward stood, wrapping himself around me, his hands settling on my stomach. His presence anchored me, making me feel more in control of myself.

"I'm sorry, of course I remember," I offered in embarrassment. "I'm just not used to this." I gestured to my new vampire body.

Carlisle smiled in his gentle way, his body language emanating warmth and approachability. "You're demonstrating unbelievable control for a newborn. That you're able think rationally enough to carry on a coherent conversation is extraordinary. Most newborns are feral for the better part of a year."

"I growl at the slightest movement!" I countered, "And - and I bit Edward! I don't feel rational."

"That's completely normal," Emmett offered with a laugh. "Vampires are driven by instinct. As your mate, Edward makes you react more strongly than anyone else. Your instincts tell you to protect him, even at the cost of your own life."

"He doesn't need me to protect him," I pointed out, confused.

Emmett gave me a wry smile. "I think you'd be surprised. He's kind of been a wreck without you. Besides, like I said, it's instinct. Whether he needs you to or not, your instincts insist you protect him."

That would explain why I'd reacted so strongly to Emmett and Carlisle, initially. The knowledge that it wasn't just overreaction on my part made me feel a little better.

"Perhaps you should explain how you found us," Carlisle suggested calmly. "I imagine it's a long story."


End file.
